Titian's Revenge
by Persephonae
Summary: Kushina stumbled into Konoha a refugee from a war-torn Whirlpool. Even the smart-mouthed kunoichi could have never predicted the legacy she would leave to the village that gave her a second chance. Slow developing MinaKush. PRE-CH 498.
1. Hello, Goodbye

**A few things: due to the chaotic-and often contradicting timeline in the Naruto manga (I use the manga for my stories), I am making this story occur some time after the Second Ninja War. I could not find an exact time as to when Sarutobi became Sandaime-though I am under the impression that both he and Minato were quite young when they became Hokage. So, at this point in time (during Minato's pre-teen years) I'm going to assume that Sarutobi is, indeed the kage. **

**Also, if you are looking for a cookie-cutter Minato and Kushina,this story may not be for you. They are imperfect/flawed. I think it's boring to read about perfect people, no? Because Kishi doesn't show use every little action and thought, I'm taking the liberty to delve into the characters' psyche. It has to be tough being raised to fight and kill at an early age, and I'm not convinced it was easy for Minato to interact with those his own year, given his prodigy (that we hear about). But, that's my take on things, take it or leave it.  
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**So, with that said, trust me when I say that I have a reason for how I choose to portray characters-even if it seems OOC. I don't want to divulge too much of the story here, so I'll leave you to the reading. **

**Please let me know what you think, even if I'm 20+ chapters in! **

**Thanks for reading. Enjoy!**

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Naruto, I just toy with the plots and characters. Don't like it? Don't really care, I'm here to write. **  
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**~OoOoO~****  
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"You talk too much!" came the snide reply. "And your hair is the color of _blood_! It's u-g-l-y!"

The newcomer felt her stomach sink as the uncontrollable anger began to take over. How could this snotty-nosed boy be so rude to her? She had done nothing to provoke such commentary!

"Who do you think you are?" she replied with a shaky voice, puffing out her flat chest in defiance. She was new to the Leaf Village, and, already, she had successfully made one enemy.

His sparkling blue eyes narrowed at her. "Hmmph, like I have to answer that! I _live _here," he gestured toward the village. "This is _my _home."

His words stung her to the core: _his home_. Did he know how much pain he had provoked? She had no home. She had no one. No, she _was _no one! She was a refugee from the Land of the Whirlpool. And this young upstart was going to pay for his words.

"I don't care who you are," she ran her hands through her short, red hair. She could feel her fingers sticking in her tangled mane. "You are not important to me. You are nothing but a brat of a boy!" Her mouth puckered into a disapproving scowl as she thrust her hands on her non-existent hips.

"Fine," he shrugged, casting his chin into the air, "but you _still _talk too much. And you look like a dog!"

She knew that she looked like a refugee; she sure _felt _like it. She had barely stepped foot into the village for an entire twenty four hours, and this blonde-haired boy had managed to make her feel more unwelcome than she had in her own war-torn country. She could feel the tears prickling in the back of her eyes. But she wouldn't let _him_ have the satisfaction of making her cry.

"I don't care what you think about me," her voice was rising, "I'm going to be one of the best kunoichi in this village!"

"Good luck with that, _refugee_!" he waved his hand before casually stuffing it into his pocket. "I'm going to talk to the _attractive _girls." With that, he walked back toward the group of young boys that he had been horsing around with before he approached the young girl. She watched them slip something into his hand, which he subsequently put into his pocket.

Before he had walked up to her, she had been sitting under a tree, talking to the other children who had also just arrived that morning. They were awaiting the Hokage's presence—as he was supposed to welcome all of the displaced villagers into Konohagakure. That was before _he _strode up to_ her_. He had haughtily introduced himself claiming to be the future Hokage of the village. She had been relieved that someone was being nice to her, and opened up to him immediately. Though, as it turned out, he wasn't as nice as she had initially expected.

She knew it was impolite to stare, but she glared at him anyway. She drew her knees closer to her chest, no longer happily chattering with the homeless children around her. She suddenly felt self-conscious about her appearance. She knew she stood out, an easy target for anyone who wished to prey on the newcomers. And that was exactly what had happened.

She tried to push the unfortunate circumstance from her mind as she stared at the welcoming doorway to her new home.

_Home_, she thought. She missed her _old _home. She missed her family. _No, don't think about that! _

She tried to push the thoughts from her mind. But she knew, in her heart, that her family was gone. Dead. Killed by a small band of shinobi that wished to wreak havoc on the tiny village. Her family had been one of the few remaining resistors to the usurpers.

She allowed her mind to wander. It had stormed that night. She hated storms. Often, she would crawl under her bed and sleep with the pillow pulled over her head so that she could shut out the sound. It was one of _those _nights. She hadn't even heard the intruders.

_No, don't think about it!_

"...the Hokage..."

"...one of the greatest shinobi of all time..."

"..pupil of the first two hokage..."

She concentrated on listening to the rumblings around her. The tiny band of refugees huddled together as the grandoise figure of the Leaf Village's renowned Hokage approached them. The voices became louder, the conversation became more excited. The tiny red-head jumped from her seat under the gnarled, wilted tree, and tried to push her way through the crowd.

"Excuse me!" she yelped as she peered through a sea of legs. She could see people walking toward them.

"Welcome to your new home!" bellowed the deep, soothing voice. She guessed it was _him_. "I am saddened at the circumstances of the ninja world, and welcome—with open arms—anyone who is need of a home!" He was met with a few, exuberant cheers.

His voice sounded like her father's, and she was curious as to what he may look like. Could it be him? Was her father still alive? She knew it was a child's dream, but she held onto it as she pushed against the resisting crowd, hoping to get a better peek at the village's idol. She was so close...

"We have provided accommodations for temporary housing. Anyone who wants to become a shinobi will be welcomed into our Ninja Academy. For those of you looking for employment, you will receive further information at a later time. I'm sure all of you.." he continued to talk to the refugees, as they quietly stared in awe at the benevolent man. Tears streaked many a face, as this was the first time, in a long time, that they had felt welcomed_ anywhere_.

The young girl was almost there, she could see his sandals! "Excuse me, please—oof!"

She had tripped over a pair of wayward feet and had fallen face-first into the dirt. She could hear the hooligan boys' laughter as she pushed herself off of the ground. This time, the tears were visible in her deep blue eyes. Her face reddened with shame. She wanted to curl up into a ball and die. At least that way, she could be with her family once again.

Suddenly, an outstretched hand was proffered to her. "Please, let me help you, my dear."

Grateful for any act of kindness, she reached for it, reveling in the strong grip it offered. She rose, with the help of a stranger, wiping her eyes on her shirt. "T-thank you!" she replied softly. She looked up to meet her savior.

"Y-you're _him_!" she squeaked. More laughter rang out. She ignored the troublemakers' instigating, instead staring at the man before her.

"Who did you expect?" he stroked his bristling, mahogany beard, smiling as he spoke.

"But you're so_...young_!" Her face became as red as her hair. "I-I'm sorry!" she yelped, as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Do not apologize, young girl," his smile widened. He leaned down, tipping his hat up so that she could see his eyes. "I get that reaction all the time. It's especially welcome from pretty women."

She gasped. He lowered the kage hat, towering above her once again. He winked at her, and she suddenly was overcome by a fit of giggling. He chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"And where do you hail from, young one?"

"The L-land of the W-w-whirlpool!" she said through bouts of laughter.

"You've come so far," he murmured, looking over her appearance. She was a dirty mess: tangled hair, soiled face, torn clothes. His heart broke from just looking at her.

"Yes, sir," she replied softly, sheepishly looking at her feet. They, too, were grimy from days of travel.

"And your family?" he glanced toward the crowd, looking at the haggard faces.

She shook her head, the tears in her eyes speaking a million words she couldn't muster. "I see," he replied quietly. "You are alone."

_Alone! _It was more of a realization than a spoken word. A lone tear streaked down her face as she nodded. She felt his grip tighten on her shoulder. He met the crowd's anticipatory stares, smiling at the dozens of homeless that had been taken in by Konohagakure-the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Please, follow my assistant, she will lead you to your temporary abode. If you are in need of anything, do not hesitate to let it be known. You are safe here."

His words were met with loud cheers from those who had traveled from all over the land. Most were survivors of dwindling, war-torn countries. The young girl before him knew that she was only one of three people who had survived the fateful attack on her village. The others were a pregnant woman, who had sobbed most of the trip here, and an elderly man. He had been kind to her, carrying her when the blisters on her feet became too painful.

"Would you..." his smooth baritone voice interrupted her thoughts. She jumped as she suddenly realized that the Sandaime was still standing next to her. "Like to join me for lunch?"

"Me? Join you?" she echoed, feeling slightly hopeful.

"Yes, I think that's what I said," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Of course," he grinned, "you can turn me down. It wouldn't be the first time I've been turned down by a pretty girl."

Her face turned red. She may only be ten years old, but sarcasm and flirting were not beyond her. She knew that he was being kind to the young homeless girl, and she appreciated the gesture. "I would be honored," she dropped to her knees, as others around her gasped.

"Then please, get up!" he frantically waved. "I'm not a slave driver! And you're making me look bad!" Again, he winked at her.

She giggled as he helped her to her feet. She was beginning to like this young Kage. He was nothing like the foreboding man she had heard so much about. He was renown across the land as being one of the most accomplished shinobi, fluent in many different types of jutsu. _A jutsu master_, she had heard someone call him. She, herself, had just begun to learn jutsu from her father. He had been a gifted shinobi of the Whirlpool, and had wanted to train his only child. Her mother had been against it, initially, but after the outbursts from local gangs, she had been more open to allowing her daughter to learn defensive jutsus. The young girl had been surprised at how naturally chakra control and jutsu had come to her. Within days, she had been able to create a handful of shadow clones, much to her father's surprise.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the same blonde boy from before. He was standing with his mouth hanging open. The two boys next to him began to whisper.

".._her_? She's going to lunch with the Sandaime?.."

"..but she's not even from this village..."

"...loud-mouth refugee..."

"...the color of blood..."

She knew they were talking about her, but she raised her chin in defiance. She would not let those unruly boys make her feel worse. She had been through a lot. She was a survivor. She turned her face toward the blonde-haired boy from before, her dark blue eyes meeting his cerulean ones. She didn't break eye contact, silently challenging him to say something to her in the presence of his village's own Hokage.

He narrowed his eyes at her, jutting his jaw out in defiance. But, he said nothing. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. And for a brief moment, she contemplated sending a shadow clone his way for a good ass-whooping. She decided it would be unbecoming of a new resident in the village.

_No, he'll pay for it. Later_, she promised herself. Before turning back toward the Hokage, who was waiting with an outstretched hand, she smiled as radiantly as she could muster. She would fight that boy's ignorance with kindness. For now.

She cautiously placed her tiny hand in the Sandaime's outstretched palm for the second time that day. He shook her hand lightly.

"I am Sarutobi Hiruzen," he replied formally. "And you are?"

"I am Uzumaki Kushina," she said steadily. She raised her chin with pride. "I hail from the Land of the Whirlpool. And on behalf of all who have traveled here, I thank you." _There! That sounded grown up, _she thought happily. Her parents would be proud...

From the corner of her eye, she could see the blonde boy following her with his eyes. This time, she ignored him, as if he were only a distant memory. She would remember his unruly yellow hair and light blue eyes. Oh yes, she would remember them!

She was not vindictive. Some had called her a prankster in her earlier years-but never vindictive. But, she would make sure that the mean boy with blue eyes would pay for how he treated her. She would make sure of it.

It was decided: from that day on, she was the sworn enemy of Namikaze Minato.


	2. The Welcoming

**So here's the next chapter! I'm working with a large time-frame here, since (as I have said in CH1) that there is no 'set in stone' timeline. My version: Jiraiya is a team leader of (now Genin Minato) and whoever else (not named in manga). He's about to take Minato as his apprentice during his travels and while he visits Konoha. He has already become a Toad Sage after he left Team Hiruzen, and is now just traveling, writing, and being a pervy sage! I'm not going to give exact ages (for the most part) unless you REALLY want it. We'll do rough estimates ;)**

**Let me know what you think! Thanks for the reviews!!!  
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**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto  
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Kushina ignored the whispers and stares as she trailed behind the Hokage of Konohagakure._ The Hokage_! He had asked her to join him for lunch!

Suddenly, the robed Kage stopped walking, turning slightly and waiting for his young partner to catch up to him. "Do you mind?" he spoke softly, nodding his head toward the curved, wooden pipe that he held in his hand. Kushina thought it looked a lot like her father's smelly old pipe. She shook her head, indicating that she did not mind if he smoked.

He didn't say anything as he slipped the pipe between his lips, inhaling the sweet smoke. He took a long breath before slowly exhaling. Kushina watched in awe as he blew fragile rings of smoke into the air. Her blue eyes followed them as they lazily floated up into the sky, breaking into tiny clouds of their former selves.

"So, you came all the way from Whirlpool, eh?" he glanced at her as they continued walking. This time, she maintained his pace. She felt a twinge of pride at being able to walk at the Hokage's side.

"Yes, sir!" she answered more loudly than she had intended.

"I'm assuming not many made it out," he murmured. She answered by shaking her head, her face betraying the reserved sadness that she hid. "Tragedy," he whispered softly. "I'm sorry, Young One."

"Sorry, sir?" she echoed, her mind numb.

"Please, don't call me _sir_. I hate the formality it denotes," he quickly corrected her. "Feel free to call me, Hiruzen."

"Your _given _name, sir?" she stared in horror at his suggestion. _Her_. Calling the _Hokage_...by his _given name!_ He winced at the title, but closed his eyes and smiled between puffs.

"Unless you want to call me Honeykins or something equally endearing," he stroked his beard, chuckling as he continued walking.

"W-w-what?" she stammered, her feet no longer carrying her. She watched him walk away, his back shaking with laughter. "Pervert!" she muttered to herself, smiling slightly. She may be young, but she knew that he was as harmless as they came.

"Better catch up, or you're going to miss my wife's spectacular cooking," he warned, his back still to her.

Her stomach growled, and she realized she hadn't had a normal meal in weeks. She missed her mother's red bean paste buns....

Her stomach gurgled its disappointment as her long legs carried her to the Hokage Manor as quickly as she could run. Food was _way_ more important than responding to the Kage's perverted antics, at the moment.

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"I'm home!" he bellowed as he pushed open the tall doors to the mansion. Hiruzen turned to find his young comrade standing outside, staring in awe at the large building. Her mouth was slightly ajar as her eyes glittered with a newfound respect.

"This is _your home_?" she excitedly whispered.

"Yup. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you," he tipped his hat downward to shadow his face as he bowed. "Uzumaki Kushina, welcome to the Hokage's Mansion."

Kushina breathed heavily, her eyes still glistening with youthful admiration. She had never seen anything so _large _and _elaborate_.

"Kid, seriously," the Sandaime tapped his foot impatiently. "I'm freakin' starving."

At the mention of warm meal, Kushina's stomach growled with rage. She smiled crookedly, her limp, greasy red locks falling in her face. "Sorry," she blushed.

She brushed past him, her eyes still round with amazement as she took in what the _inside _looked like—it was even more elegant than outside! "Wow, you _live _here?"

"Damn straight! It's not easy being Hokage," he grunted as he tossed his hat on the hook beside the door. He hung his white Kage robe next to it as well, only donning his red kimono.

"Darling!" he bellowed. "Your loving and devoted husband is home!"

Kushina couldn't help but roll her eyes. She heard a faint clinking from the dining room, and a chair scraping across the floor. "Old man?" came a man's deep voice.

"Father!" came a second voice as a small child ran from the very same room, clipping the wall as he charged around the corner. He slid to a halt when he saw the young red-headed girl standing next to the Hokage.

His posture stiffened as he warily studied the newcomer. Kushina eyed him as cautiously, noting his likeness to the Sandaime. The man who first spoke soon appeared, placing his hand on the child's shoulder. "You know, I don't think babysitting was part of the requirements to be on your team," the white-haired man grinned as he squeezed the child's shoulder.

The dark-haired child was still staring at Kushina as he slowly approached his father. "Asuma!" the elder Sarutobi held out his arms for his son. The young boy blinked, realizing he was being addressed. A smile lit up his face as he ran into his father's arms. The Kage lifted his son into the air, as the boy giggled. Kushina felt a tinge of sorrow as she remembered what it felt like in her own father's arms.

"Who's the looker?" the white-haired man nodded toward Kushina. She could see the red lines that ran from his bottom lids to his jawline. _What an odd man_, she thought as she eyed him with disgust. Despite not knowing if the other man was serious, it did not stop her from trying to comb her hair with her fingers.

"This is Uzumaki Kushina, she is one of the _visitors _from the Whirlpool," the Hokage replied carefully.

Kushina rolled her eyes. "Just call me what I am, there's not beating around it. I'm a _refugee_," she spit the word out, her own stomach twisting with the reality of the three syllables.

"Wefugee?" Asuma angled his head in confusion.

The Sandaime chuckled as he introduced the white-haired man. "Kushina-chan, this is Jiraiya. He is a former student of mine. And this is my son, Asuma!"

Jiraiya jutted out a hand in welcome. Kushina eyed it vehemently, as he grinned from ear to ear. "Nice to meet you, Kushina. Sorry you had to meet _him _first," he nodding toward the Hokage, who was out of ear shot as he walked away, holding his son's hand.

Jiraiya looked over Kushina carefully, his expression becoming serious. "So it was bad...where you came from?"

Kushina nodded slowly; the knot in her stomach tightened. The pale-haired shinobi indicated his understanding. "You must be hungry," he replied softly, gesturing for her to follow him. He would not press her for more information. Her fragility was etched into her face, and he knew what it was like to lose everything--and everyone--around you.

As if on cue, her stomach howled its agreement. Jiraiya cracked a smile as he placed a hand on the young girl's back, practically pushing her into the parlor. "Your stomach agrees," he laughed heartily. "Just wait until you have Lady Sarutobi's cooking!"

Kushina didn't care if this Jiraiya person cooked it. As long as it was warm and edible, she was interested!

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Kushina decided she rather liked the Kage's wife. The older woman was quite pretty! She had long, dark hair that flowed down her back in a single braid. The young Whirlpool-nin couldn't take her eyes off of how the dark locks glistened. Kushina had always wished for such beautiful, warm hair that sparkled in the light and was silken to the touch.

_It must be nice not being called a freak wherever you go!_ she thought gloomily.

"More dear?" Lady Sarutobi asked Kushina, as she smiled warmly at the newcomer.

"Oh yesh! Sho delishis!" Kushina replied though mouthfuls. Despite her dark thoughts, she could still satiate her appetite.

"Do you know how to cook? A young woman should always know how to cook!" she spooned more food onto the young girl's plate.

Kushina swallowed. "Yes, Mother always made me help her with the cooking. I think I'm pretty good."

"Very good," the woman softly placed the large earthenware bowl onto the table before picking up her chopsticks. "You are more than welcome to help me in the kitchen whenever you like!"

"Really?" Kushina asked, her eyes shining her thanks. She hadn't expected everyone to be so kind to her, and it was quickly becoming overwhelming.

"Of course. I never had a daughter, so any female in this house is a welcome sight," she winked as she discretely pointed to her husband, Jiraiya, and her son. "I have another son, too, but he is on a mission," she confirmed.

"I didn't have any brothers or sisters. It was just me, Mother and Father," Kushina pushed the cold noodles around her plate. She was beginning to feel sick due to how quickly she managed to shovel food down her throat.

The Hokage's wife sat in silent contemplation, as she observed the young girl's demeanor. Her eyes suddenly glowed, as if she had come to a sudden realization. Lady Sarutobi tsked softly as she reached for her husband's hand. "Hiruzen," her tone was sweet and calm.

The older man's face went pale as his wife informally addressed him. She did this on occasion, but usually after he had done something that she deemed as being unfit. "Y-yes?" he hoarsely replied, wiping his mouth with the corner of his napkin. Jiraiya tried to suppress a grin, as young Asuma looked from his mother to his father.

"We have an extra room, correct?"

"Yes..." the dark haired man replied, unsure as to what his wife was getting at.

"That could be converted into a bedroom, yes?"

The Hokage narrowed his eyes at his wife, as he realized that he was not going to face one of her angry spells. She was mostly kind and sweet, but could be scary as hell when she was angered. Though _he _thought that was when she looked most beautiful....

His wife glanced at Kushina, then back to her husband. He realized her intentions and the aim of her questions. He knew his wife had always wanted a little girl, though she had been unable to conceive after Asuma. It was not in his nature to deny Lady Sarutobi anything—not that she ever asked for much. Hiruzen looked over the young girl, his interest piqued. She was skinny from malnourishment—her bony frame gaunt and her hair a dirty nest. She was in need of new clothes as well as shoes. He could sense his wife's silent plea, as realization dawned on him: _she wanted to take in the young orphan!_

He, too, had felt a strange affinity toward the young red-head after seeing her trip at his feet. There was something about her that he found endearing. Not to mention that she held an unspoken beauty. And Sarutobi Hiruzen loved beautiful things.

"Of course, my love. Whatever you want," he breathed easier, now that he knew he was out of hot water. His wife smiled radiantly as she dabbed her mouth with her napkin.

"You are such a wonderful husband," she replied lovingly. "I have been blessed."

"Damn right, woman!" Hiruzen said before continuing his meal. "And I've been lucky to have married such a good cook!"

"I can vouch for that," Jiraiya raised his tiny cup as if to toast. "After all my years of training under this old fart!"

Asuma giggled as the pale-haired man made a funny face, winking at Kushina. She, too, couldn't help but laugh.

"Kushina-san?" Lady Sarutobi spoke softly.

"Y-yes, ma'am?" she replied cautiously. She hadn't understood what had taken place between the adults, but she knew that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"When you are finished eating, I will prepare a hot bath for you," she smiled tenderly as she pushed a stray, sweaty lock of red hair out of Kushina's face.

"Really? A bath? And a _hot _one, too?" She was grateful for the kind gesture. She could barely remember what a steaming bath felt like. Her skin itched with anticipation.

"And we'll get you a decent robe to slip into," she looked over the young girl's clothes. Kushina suddenly felt embarrassed at her shoddy attire. She covered her chest with her arms. The older woman patted her arm gently, "Not that what you're wearing is bad. But at least something _clean_. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Kushina nodded, her throat tightening with emotion. She was not expecting this much kindness upon arriving to Konoha. Much less from the Hokage and his family!

Suddenly, she looked up at the kind woman, her brow knitting in concentration. "Do you have an orange one?" she asked timidly.

Lady Sarutobi laughed, "We'll see, my dear. We will see!"

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"That was amazing!" she sighed heavily, as Lady Sarutobi brushed her hair.

"You have such beautiful hair, Kushina," she cooed, as she gently pulled the boar-bristled brush through the girl's short, red locks.

"I think it's ugly," the Whirlpool refugee replied sadly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because everyone is always staring at it! Telling me it looks like blood or something!" she confessed. Her face flushed with the memory of today's events. "And today, some boy told me I was ugly!" She felt the repressed tears stinging her eyes.

"What? Who was he?" Lady Sarutobi turned Kushina to face her. Despite her dislike of the color orange, the soft, melon-colored robe complimented the young girl's complexion nicely.

"His name was Minato, I think..." she rubbed her watery eyes. "He said a lot of mean things!"

"Minato? Namikaze Minato?" the brunette repeated the name.

Kushina nodded, "Yeah...that's him."

Lady Sarutobi suppressed a giggle. Kushina looked at her, her blue eyes silently asking questions her mouth refused to utter. The older woman waved her hand in the air, as she attempted to explain the sudden humor, "He's Jiraiya's pupil!"

Oh. That would explain a lot, if Kushina understood. "Huh?"

"Jiraiya? The perverted pupil of my perverted husband..." she trailed off, hoping Kushina would make the connection.

"So you're saying Minato's a pervert?" she asked weakly.

"Well, that may be true, but he's a _boy_, right? So that makes him as impressionable as can be," she pulled Kushina's chin upward, so that their eyes met. Deep blue depths met warm chocolate brown. "In other words, they are idiots!" she smiled, her eyes twinkling.

Kushina's own smile spread across her face, "I get it!"

"Good!" Lady Sarutobi laughed.

_But, _Kushina thought, _that doesn't mean I'll forgive him! _

*****

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"Oooh, how pretty!" Jiraiya's eyes sparkled as he saw the new and improved Kushina.

Kushina blushed, as everyone surveyed her new kimono. "Thank you!" she squeaked, bowing politely.

"How about you call me in a couple of years?" he wiggled his eyebrows as the girl's mouth fell open.

"Jiraiya..." the Hokage warned his former pupil.

"What?" the pale-haired man raised his arms in defense. "I'm just saying she's going to be pretty, that's all!" He winked at Kushina.

"And we all know how you like pretty girls," Hiruzen replied as he put the pipe between his lips.

"I learned from the best," Jiraiya smirked.

"True, my friend. Very true," the Kage chuckled.

"You know, I'm _still _here," Kushina rolled her eyes in a very unladylike manner.

"We are very well aware, Beautiful," Jiraiya cooed as he bat his eyelashes. "Here's my card, make sure to call me."

Kushina gaped at the business card, _"Jiraiya, Toad Sage and Ladyies Man.."_ She didn't finish reading it, instead tossing it in the fire.

"What are you doing? I put my picture on there. In _color_!" he squealed as he attempted to save the charred card from the fire.

"Look, I may be ten, but I can smell a pervert from a mile away. And you," she put her fists on her hips, "are the _biggest _pervert I have met yet!" She immediately realized what she had said, and covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes showing their horror. She had been extremely rude to a _Sage—_and in front of the Hokage!

Jiraiya stared at her, his mouth open in shock. The dark red lines that trailed down his face looked like tears of blood. Suddenly, a deep, throaty laugh filled the room. The Hokage had fallen from his chair, collapsing in a fit of coughing and laughter.

"S-she," he wheezed, "definitely told _you!_" He clutched his stomach as he doubled over.

Jiraiya's face turned red, making his blood red tear marks almost indistinguishable from his skin. He remained silent. Asuma, who had begun to fall asleep, rubbed his tired eyes, confused by his father's hysterics.

"Oh, I _like _you!" the Kage said, once he had regained his composure.

Kushina dropped her hand, grinning slightly. Jiraiya was shaking his head. "Bested by an eight-year-old."

"Ten!" she blurted. "Almost eleven!"

"Even worse!" he moaned as he rocked back and forth on the floor.

*****

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*****

"So you're leaving? When? And for how long?" Lady Sarutobi asked between sips of warm ginger tea.

Asuma and Kushina were seated on the floor. The young boy had warmed up to the red-headed newcomer, showing her all of his toys. He was incredibly bright, and Kushina had the feeling that was often neglected by his oft-absent father. She watched his eyes light up as he talked about how he would someday be a great ninja like his father, the Hokage.

"Yeah, I want to travel. To see the world," Jiraiya replied calmly. "I'll be leaving in about a month, but I'm not entirely sure as to the duration. I'll be back from time-to-time, of course. I still have a team to train."

Hiruzen nodded. "It's a wise choice for you, my son."

"Thanks!" he grinned, "Glad you approve. Means a lot, Old Man!"

"I'm not old!" the Kage snapped.

"Tell that to your gray hair!" his former pupil retorted.

"Stop it, you two!" the dark-haired woman replied. She looked at Jiraiya, her eyes serious, "We will miss you. Asuma will as well."

"I'll miss the little squirt!" Jiraiya said, rubbing Asuma's tiny head of spiky brown hair.

"Hey!" Asuma whined as he frantically tried to fix his knotted locks.

"I'm gonna miss you, little guy!" Jiraiya replied, sweeping the young tot into the air. "You hear me?"

"Who am I gonna play wif?" the young boy looked sadly at the Toad Sage, realizing what the older adults were discussing.

"Well..." Lady Sarutobi began, glancing at her husband. He nodded his acceptance. "We were going to see if Kushina would like to stay with us. For a little while." All eyes suddenly fell on the young girl.

"M-me? Stay here with you guys?" her mouth hung open with disbelief. Did she really hear them say that?

"That's what I said," the older woman nodded. "If you want to, that is. Only if you want to."

"Pwease?" Asuma begged, suddenly keen to have a new friend. It was often lonely around the mansion without a companion.

"O-ok," she stammered, her face turning red as her eyes filled with tears. She wiped her weary eyes with the sleeve of her kimono. "T-thank y-y-you!" she hiccuped.

"Please, don't cry!" Hiruzen wiped away a tear from his own eye. "I can't stand to see a pretty girl cry!"

"Pervert!" Kushina glared at him, instantly her former, hardened self. The adults laughed at her outburst, forcing a more fierce blush to her cheeks.

"You have had some training as a kunoichi, in your home village?" the Kage asked, suddenly more serious.

She nodded. "Yes, Father taught me some."

"Good," he concluded. "Would you be interested in joining the Ninja Academy, here in Konoha? With kids your own age?"

Kushina thought about the question. She remembered the feeling of helplessness that overcame her when she realized her entire village had been destroyed, and she had been unable to protect anyone. She raised her eyes to meet the Hokage's dark brown ones, "Yes."

"Hmm, perhaps we'll see what you're made of tomorrow, then" the Third suggested. "Maybe, if you are advanced, we can speed up your time at the Academy."

"Hey, not everyone can be a genius, like my Minato!" Jiraiya beamed. Kushina glared at the pale-haired shinobi, her teeth bared.

"What?" the Sage's confusion was evident by the look on his face. "Why are you so hostile?"

"She had a bad encounter with your student, Jiraiya," Lady Sarutobi raised her cup to her mouth, a smile pulling at her lips. "Seems like he told Kushina that she was not up to his expectations of how a lady should look." _He told her she was ugly, _was her underlying message.

Jiraiya shook his head sadly, understanding her words. "I tried to teach him better than that. Especially when it came to women!" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you won't have to worry about running into him at the Academy, since he's now a Genin—as well as my apprentice. I'm going to take him with me on this first trip, so he'll be gone for quite a while, actually. So that should be a relief."

Kushina rolled her eyes. "I could care less about that _brat_! "she snapped, pulling her knees into her chest.

The Toad Sage smiled sadly; her reaction was somehow reminiscent of his relationship with Tsunade, a former teammate from Team Hiruzen. He looked at Kushina, his eyes sparkling, "You may be a tomboy now, but boy will he kick himself when you are both older!"

Kushina was unsure as to whether Jiraiya's comment was meant to be a compliment or not, but either way, she had no desire to find out _what_ Minato would think of her in the future.

Right now, she hated the young genius.


	3. The Heirloom

**Disclaimer**: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. Not to me.

_**Next chapter! Some more background on the elusive Kushina! **_

_**I just love her-without even knowing much. **_

_**I would really love for Kishimoto to delve more into this.**_

_**Or not, since I'm writing about it :P**_

_**Enjoy**_

* * *

Kushina had been up since before the sunlight peeked through the blinds. It wasn't that the tiny bed was uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She couldn't remember _ever _ having such a plush mattress or soft sheets. No, it wasn't the room or its furnishings. Kushina hadn't slept because she had been too excited about practicing with Hiruzen.

She wasn't excited about starting at the Academy, per se, but she wanted to _do something_ before her thoughts drove her mad. Each time she closed her eyes, she could see her parents' faces. She remembered what they looked like, lifeless and cold on the floor. She knew neither had died without a fight, but that was a weak consolation for the loss of those closest to her. Her grandparents weren't spared, either. Not even in their old age.

She pushed the sheets from her sweaty legs, cringing at the color: _pink_! She could handle pink, but this was bubble-gum pink. The kind of pink that signified the new baby girl that was born into the world. Kushina frowned at her bed as she ran her fingers through her now silky hair. She examined a few strands as she held them between her fingertips. Why did it have to be so _red_?

Her mother had always told her that her own hair had been that color when she was young. It had only turned the deep, more golden red after she had grown into her teen years. Her mother had bragged that it was her greatest asset—always turning heads wherever she went. Lady Uzumaki had her pick of the available men, but she chose Kushina's father. The two were as much in love, years later, as they had been in their teens.

Kushina had always made gagging noises when she caught her father swooping his wife up into his arms. He would bury his face in her thick mane of hair, enjoying the feel of the silky, long locks as they cascaded over his face. She sighed, remembering her mothers much-cared for hair. _She_ never wanted long hair—it would always remind her of that moment. Of her parents' love. Of that one distinct point in time where her life had been happy.

_No, _she thought, as she squinted through the tears, _I will always keep it short! _ She padded around the room, thinking about how the Sandaime would test what little knowledge and skill she had in regards to jutsu. Her father had been a shinobi for the tiny, struggling country. Her mother, too, at one time—giving it all up to become a stay-at-home-wife. She never regretted it, as she had told her daughter, years earlier. Never once. Too much bloodshed, she claimed. Besides, she preferred the role of the pampered housewife over the hardened one of a kunoichi.

Kushina had always been more of a daddy's girl. She wanted to grow up to be just like her father—a powerful, wind-jutsu wielding shinobi. Somehow, though, she had only been able to muster a few ripples in a nearby puddle —much to her own chagrin. Her father had merely smiled, telling her that she was "just like her mother!"

Kushina had burst into tears. "But I wanna be like you!" she wailed.

He smiled mussing her long, red braid, "You are more like me than you know!" He had knelt down so that their eyes had been level, his dark brown ones searching hers. "Your mother was one of the strongest kunoichi in this part of the land, did you know that?"

"M-mom?" she whimpered, wiping her eyes with a small fist.

"Mmm hmm," he nodded, his eyes flickering out of focus. "She was one hell of a shinobi. And you should be proud to have the same jutsu as her."

Kushina looked at her father, the hope faintly returning. "Really? Was she strong?" She couldn't imagine her mother being tough, or killing _anyone_ for that matter.

Again, he nodded, "Believe it! She was one hell of a tomboy. I bet she could have beaten any boy in this village." His smile became wide, as he chuckled, "With her fists."

"Mom?" she gawked at her father in disbelief.

"Mom," he confirmed. "But don't tell her I told you that. Or you'll get a chance to see just how angry she can be!"

Kushina's eyes were wide with shock, as she nodded her understanding. Her father's calloused hand shot out for the agreement. Kushina took the warm fingers between her own tiny ones, shaking slightly. Maybe being like her mother wasn't so bad, after all...

She would never get the chance to know just how gifted her mother was. And there was no one left to tell her...

The sound of a door sliding caused her to jump. She watched the shadows move past her room, the already-familiar steps of Lady Sarutobi shuffling down the hall. Kushina heard her descend the stairs, before deciding that she would help the older woman with breakfast.

It would only make the morning pass by more quickly

* * *

"So, what do you want to start with?" Hiruzen held the door as Kushina cursed under her breath. She tugged at the unfamiliar clothing. Obviously, her and Lady Sarutobi had two different ideas about how a future kunoichi of Konoha should dress. Considering she had nothing else to wear—as her current clothing was tattered and stained beyond recognition—she couldn't turn down the attire the Sandaime's wife had chosen for her.

It was evident that Lady Sarutobi had always wanted a girl. And Kushina was not sure that she could fill that role and maintain her sanity. She tugged at the mid-thigh-length skirt. She was hoping to pull it down to knee length, but was not very successful—at least not without showing her rear end. She sighed, at least she had managed to find a pair of black spandex shorts to wear underneath. The sleeveless shirt wasn't so bad, and neither were the black, toe-less shoes. The only real problem Kushina had with the outfit (beside the fact that it had a skirt) was that it was _pink_!

Within two days of being in Konoha, she had successfully decided her most hated color, and it just so happened to be...pink. She would have to persuade the older woman to just hand over the cash so that she could choose her own clothes.

"I don't care," she answered the older man, her face dark.

"Father!" she heard the boy's cry from behind her. He slid across the floor after barreling down the stairs. He looked from his father to Kushina, then back to his father. "You're leaving?" he asked, his tone sad. His bottom lip began to tremble.

"Eh, I'm just going to the forest. I'm gonna see what this pipsqueak is made of!" he pointed at the pink-clad redhead.

"Hey, old man!" she shot back, as Asuma's face dropped from the realization that he was not invited. "You coming?" she asked the young boy.

His eyes lit up, as he realized she was speaking to him. He looked at his father hopefully. "Come on!" the older man nodded, a small smile on his face. "I didn't forget about you!"

"Yes!" Asuma yelled, as he stomped up the stairs. He returned a few moments later, backpack in tow. "Bye mom!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Kushina couldn't help but smile at his sudden change in demeanor. It was as if he had grown into a man before her eyes. She knew that part of that was because of his father's lack of attention. She felt sorry for the young boy.

"Ok, you two, let's get going!" the Kage barked, as he tugged a pack of cigarettes from his Hokage robe.

"Mom says you shouldn't be smoking, Dad!" Asuma warned, his eyes wide.

"Don't tell her, and she won't know!" the older man smiled as he tucked the cigarette between his lips. He looked at Kushina, "We'll pass the Academy on the way, I'll point it out to you. There are a few things we need to go over-formalities for you to be accepted."

She nodded, her heart racing with excitement. They had made it a a few yards from the Hokage Manor when the shrill, nasal-y voice of the Hokage's assistant cut through the morning mist. "Sir!"

"Ah, yes..." he began, his shoulders stiffening.

She closed the gap with a few steps, handing over a folder of paperwork, "We have a meeting this morning, or have you forgotten?" Her annoyance flashed in her eyes. She tugged at the arm of her glasses, as if adjusting them on her face. She glared at Kushina, silently blaming the young girl for the Hokage's tardiness.

"No, no, I didn't forget!" he rolled his eyes at the two children, who giggled. A sharp glare from his assistant was enough to silence them. Kushina immediately decided she disliked the stuffy woman.

"Just push it back," he handed the folders back to her, as she looked confused.

"B-but, Hokage-sama-" she began.

"I have a few things I need to do this morning," he explained as he tugged at his beard. "I'll be in later than usual."

"Hai," she bowed curtly, in defeat. Her eyes never left the young red head.

The Kage turned on foot, taking another drag from his cigarette. He said nothing more. With his chin held high, Asuma followed suit. Kushina was the last to turn and walk away, but not before she stuck her tongue out at the uptight assistant.

The woman's eyes flew open as she gasped at the rude gesture. Kushina smiled, quickly skipping to catch up to the Hokage and his son, leaving the angry woman to mutter profanities under her breath.

The red-headed refugee knew that this was the beginning of a long, and torturous relationship. She could feel it in her gut.

* * *

"There's the Academy," Hiruzen indicated with his head. "It's where students are trained before becoming Genin."

_Genin, _she thought. _Isn't that what Jiraiya claimed Minato had just been appointed as_?

"It's filled with classrooms, where you will take classes with the boys, as well as special kunoichi classes," he explained.

"Kunoichi classes?" she furrowed her brow in disappointment. "That doesn't sound good."

The Kage shrugged. Asuma mimicked the gesture, much to Kushina's annoyance. "Eh, it is what it is. You will learn how to arrange flowers and dress more feminine, among other things that a female shinobi should be aware of."

"Flowers?" she spat.

"Yes," he sighed. "You have to learn to be cultured so as to blend in if you are on special assignment," he explained. "It'll make you indistinguishable from a civilian."

"Oh," she replied softly. _In that case..._

"Anyway," he waved his hand, the shadow from his hat masking his face, "you'll learn the differences between the different types of jutsu, as well as how to perform basic ninja procedures."

"What if I already know how to do some of those?" Kushina asked hesitantly. She had been training with her father for quite some time, as the academy in her village had been quashed by rebels wishing to prevent the uprising of new shinobi.

"Well, if that's the case, we may be able to advance you. You could become a Genin early, though you are still quite young for that," he rubbed his beard thoughtfully.

"Am not!" she puffed out her flat chest. Hiruzen chuckled at her antics.

"Regardless, there are a few things that need to be established before you can be admitted."

"Like?"

"For one, you need to swear your allegiance to the village."

"Boring," she replied, looking at her chewed-off nails.

"But necessary," he grinned.

"What else, geezer?"

"You can't be disrespectful to the Hokage," his tone was icy.

She snorted, "_You_ can't be serious!"

He guffawed, "Eh, you got me!" He rested his hand on Asuma's shoulder, "This is far enough into the forest, son." He looked over the young girl. Confusion registered on his face, as if he had realized what she was wearing for the first time. "Nice outfit..."

Anger flashed over her features. It was quickly replaced by something else...

She immediately burst into a cloud of smoke. Both Asuma and his father yelled, as the smoke cleared to reveal a voluptuous red-headed woman with her long locks cascading in waves over her breasts and down her back. She blew kisses at the Sandaime, batting her lashes seductively.

"Holy hell, I've died and gone to heaven!" the Kage exhaled excitedly. His eyes wandered appreciatively over her curves. It was as if his mind had shut down everywhere else, only focusing on the visual perfection before him.

"D-dad?" Asuma spoke timidly.

"Not now, son," the Sandaime rubbed his hands together.

"B-b-but...your nose!" he squealed. "It's bleeding!"

The Hokage brought his fingertips to his nostrils, finding them coated in a sticky fluid. His confusion was evident on his face as a sudden fit of giggles tore through the forest. Hiruzen blinked, realizing his fantasy woman had disappeared. His jaw hung open in disappointment, as his nose continued to bleed.

"Y-you!" he gasped, his eyes wide with shock.

Kushina was rolling around on the ground, soiling her new clothing. "Y-y-you are t-too easy, p-pervert! Y-you old p-pervert!" Tears were rolling down her cheeks, as Asuma snorted in laughter. Hiruzen shot him a dark glare.

"You really are a pervert!" she pointed at the Kage. "It was just too easy. You really fell for it!" She could barely speak between fits of laughter.

The Hokage was still standing there, his mouth ajar. Had this young girl really just used a Transformation Technique?_ It worked on you, _he told himself. _Shut up! _He inwardly hissed. Done in by a ten-year-old...his face flushed with realization.

"Ok, you got me, are you happy?" he asked, an awkwardly fake smile plastered to his face.

"You even got a nose bleed!" she was on her knees, pointing at him as she clutched her stomach. She wiped tears from her blue eyes. "Did you see that, Asuma?"

The young boy kept his mouth covered, the wrinkles around his eyes betraying his allegiance. Hiruzen looked at his son through narrowed lids, "Just whose side are you on, boy?" Asuma said nothing, shaking his head furiously.

"Traitor," the Hokage mumbled under his breath, as he pulled a kerchief from his robe, and blew his nose.

Both kids were now giggling, as the Kage wiped the last bit of caked blood from his nostrils. "Transformation Technique, eh?" he asked when he could finally keep his voice under control. "Whattya call it?"

"I haven't.." she tried to calm down, "I don't have a name for it," she admitted.

"Good, keep that to yourself. It'll be very useful-" he began.

"For pervs like you!" she collapsed onto the ground again.

This time, the Kage chuckled with the two juveniles. "Fine, you got me. I admit it, ok? Just promise you won't tell my wife."

"It'll be a deal, if you can convince her to let me do my own shopping," she pointed at her outfit. "I can't handle _this_!"

"Hmph," he looked her over. "Deal."

She reached out a tiny hand to shake, which he reciprocated. Though the entire time, he remained in awe that he had been conned by such a young girl. A wide smile spread across her face, signaling her triumph. He realized that Jiraiya was right, she would be a knockout. Someday.

"Ok, so let's see.." he tapped his chin thoughtfully, as he pulled out his pipe. "You have had some training, right?"

"Right!" she nodded, her hands on her hips.

"Good. Do you know what basic element you use?" he asked cautiously.

"Wind," she spoke, though her tone held a slight sadness.

"Not bad," he murmured. "I've dabbled in it myself," he smirked. Her eyes lit up at his admission.

"I'm tryin' to learn, too, just like Father!" Asuma interrupted, as he tossed his backpack to the ground. "With these!" he reached into the bag, pulling out two sharp objects.

"Where did you get those?" Hiruzen barked, obviously unaware that his son had been toting around family heirlooms.

Asuma pouted, "In one of your offices. They were on the desk. I wanted to play with them." He looked ashamed as he held the weapons in his tiny hands. "I want to make you proud."

"You do make me proud, Asuma," Hiruzen replied, as he tousled his son's dark brown hair. "But these are still a bit dangerous for you to use."

"Let him try!" Kushina interrupted once she saw the look of defeat on Asuma's face. She, too, knew what it felt like to be underestimated.

"What?" the Kage confusion carried through the forest.

Kushina blushed, bowing her head slight. "I-I'm sorry," she explained. "But, at least let him try!"

Hiruzen looked over his son, as the young boy stared up at him hopefully. The elder Sarutobi reveled in how much his son reminded him of..._himself_.

"Ok," his voice was soft.

"Yeah?" Asuma's eyes widened.

"Go ahead. But, be careful," Hiruzen nodded. "Face away from us, toward the forest. Do you know how they work?" he asked the young Sarutobi.

Asuma shook his head, "Not yet, Father."

"Well, these are made from special metal, which you can infuse with chakra. You can use them for basic combat—throwing like kunai or shuriken—with or without chakra enhancement. They are quite powerful with enough chakra, son," he explained carefully.

Asuma nodded, screwing his face up into an expression of concentration. He tried to muster the invisible energy to his hands. He had attempted this very same thing, on many occasions, though he never made it much farther than a faint glow or pulsation. This time, however, he didn't want his father to see him fail—he wanted to make the elder Sarutobi proud of his oft-neglected son. The young boy pooled the energy from within, his hands humming with the unseen force. He mustered as much strength as he could, aiming for a tree, yards away. He cranked his arm, tossing the trench knife. It flew in a high arc, falling halfway between the boy and his target.

Asuma frowned in defeat, his eyes watering from embarrassment. Hiruzen smiled softly, "It takes practice, son."

"I'm sorry," the boy mumbled.

The Third felt a pang of sadness. He knew he had been neglecting his son since his appointment as Hokage. He wished, more than anything, he could spend more time with his family. His wife understood, but Hiruzen knew that Asuma was too young to comprehend his father's duty. "You did better than I did, my first time," he admitted.

"Really?" Asuma asked, hope filling his dark eyes.

"Really, Asuma," Hiruzen answered, his hand on his son's shoulder.

Kushina walked to where the sharp blade had fallen. She picked it up, looking at it between her soiled fingers. She could feel the slight pulsation of energy left over from Asuma's attempt. "Can I try?" she asked softly.

Asuma looked at the other blade in his hand, before shrugging, "Sure, 'Shina." He handed the other blade to the young red-head.

She wrapped her fingers through the holes, allowing the blade to sit over her knuckles, the sharp end pointing outward from her pinky fingers. She flexed her fingers maneuvering her knuckles around in the the grooves. Kushina twisted her wrist, getting a feel for how to use them.

"So, I have to put my chakra into these flimsy blades?" she spoke quietly to herself. They didn't seem too impressive, and she wasn't so sure that they would be_ that_ deadly. She concentrated her chakra into the metal, feeling it throb back into her hands. She forced more into her hands—and the blades became lighter. She made a swiping motion through the air. She could see the faint change in pressure a few feet away from her.

_Did it just slice through the air that far away from me? _she wondered. She couldn't see any sort of chakra indicating it. _Maybe it's a property of the metal_, she concluded. She smiled to herself, feeling so grown up at _that_ conclusion. She looked at the tree Asuma had attempted to hit, and, without thinking, she chucked the blade without much effort. She hadn't expected much from the tiny movement.

"I'll be damned!" she heard the Hokage whistle.

She looked up, realizing that she had indeed hit the tree that was nearly thirty yards away. Not only that, but she had managed to created a slice that stretched up the gnarled bark.

"Wow, 'Shina!" Asuma replied, his eyes shining with admiration. "You're good!"

"I-I don't know how I did that!" she mumbled, her face reddening.

"But, the fact remains that you _did_!" Hiruzen replied, as he examined the tree. He ran his fingers over the bark, reveling in the sheer power propelling the blade. _If she can do this with such little effort..._he trailed off in his thoughts.

"Kushina, did you say you wanted to attend the Academy?" the Hokage asked over his shoulder. He needed to tell Jiraiya about this!

It took the young girl a moment to realize what the older Sarutobi had just asked. Her face was till crimson with embarrassment. "Y-yes, sir!" she called out.

"Good," his tone was light. "'Cause you start tomorrow!"


	4. The Prank

".....so you would graduate from the Academy as a Genin," Hiruzen droned on. Kushina had caught bits and pieces of his long-winded explanation, but her attention span had failed her nearly ten minutes earlier.

_Genin! _That word again! She was sure that was what Jiraiya had said Minato was: _a Genin_!

"...you'll have to swear your allegiance....protect the village...endurance.......for admission into the Academy..."

Kushina barely heard the Hokage's words, her mind drifting elsewhere. _So, a Genin must be a low-level ninja! _she quietly concluded. If that were the case, then this cocky pain in the ass wasn't too far ahead of her. Maybe she could catch up if she quickly moved through the Academy, as Hiruzen had mentioned was a possibility, earlier that day.

"..there will be an exam, of course....earn your hitai'ite..."

One word finally made its way through her thoughts, and her eyes flew open in recognition. "Wait what?"

The Third turned to look at her, "What part didn't you quite understand?"

Kushina laughed nervously, "I thought I heard you mention an exam." She waved her hand dismissively, as if the idea was foolish.

"There is an exam. All Academy students must pass an exam administered by their respective Chunin instructors. There is also another one administered by you team's Jonin leader. If he or she deems you unfit to participate as a shinobi, you'll be sent back to the Academy," he explained, removing his pipe from one of the many hidden pockets in his Hokage robe.

"Huh?" Kushina stood there, her mouth agape. "A real exam?" she squeaked, her heart racing. She could feel her palms becoming sweaty.

"Test anxiety?" Hiruzen asked between puffs, his mouth pulling into a smile.

"No!" she huffed, thrusting her fists onto her hips. "Bring it on! I'm not afraid of a little test!"

They continued their walking tour of the village, with Kushina following the Hokage closely. Asuma trailed behind. Many of the villagers stopped their daily routine to wish greetings and good fortune upon their Hokage. Often, they stared at Kushina and her blood-red hair, unsure of the newcomer's ties with the Kage.

After a few minutes, Kushina decided that she had one more question in regards to their earlier conversation, "Uh, Hokage-sama?"

"Hmm?" He knew that if she was addressing him so formally, that there must be something bothering her.

"What is this exam made up of?" she asked sheepishly, as she chewed her nails nervously.

The elder Sarutobi smiled, "Well, it'll be a written exam, which will be a culmination of various things, as I had told you about earlier."

_Oh._ She hadn't been paying attention, of course. Kushina supposed this wasn't the time to ask him to repeat that information...

Hiruzen continued, interrupting her internal debate. "You'll be asked to perform an E-rank technique--"

"E-rank technique?" she repeated, obviously confused.

"I suppose I'll need to go over the shinobi ranks, as well," he sighed. There was so much he needed to teach her! "There are only a handful that you will need to know as a graduating student. But, of those few, you should know them well. They are basic, but they will save you many times over. Never forget it."

Kushina nodded, though still confused by his explanation. Hiruzen smirked, "Besides, you've already proven that you can do at least one of those techniques."

"Really?" she asked. Surely he couldn't mean....

"Transformation Technique," he smiled fondly, remembering the beautiful, voluptuous woman. His eyes sparkled with the memory.

"Creep," Kushina muttered under her breath, sensing his train of thought. "What are the others?"

"Now, now, you'll learn those in the Academy," he tsk-ed. "Do you know how to create clones of yourself?"

Kushina shook her head sadly, "No...I was learning that when..."

"I see," Hiruzen replied softly. She didn't need to speak, the pained look on her face told him everything. "You will be in capable hands at the Academy. I think you are already above most students your age."

"You think so?" she offered a shy grin. It wasn't much of a praise, but it gave her something to be proud of. The Third thought back to her earlier skill with the trench knives. He had been a few years younger than her when he had become proficient with the weapons. Then again, he had been a child prodigy....

"Yup." He replied, winking at her as he tilted his hat up so that she could see his face. "I think it'll be a piece of cake for you. As long as you don't piss around, that is."

"Me?" she looked shocked.

"Yeah. You," he grunted, pulling the straw brim down so it shadowed his eyes. "Trouble," he muttered under his breath, as Kushina smiled from ear-to-ear.

Asuma was watching the interaction with mild interest. Suddenly, something caught his eye. "Father! It's J'raiya-sama!"

He pointed at the man who was standing several meters away, bent over and talking to three young boys—who were each wearing their forehead protectors with pride. The metal glinted in the sunlight, a testimony that they had recently graduated from the Academy. Kushina squinted, she recognized that blonde, spiky hair! She felt her cheeks grow red as her former anger toward the young man returned.

"Bastard," she whispered under her breath.

Hiruzen put out both arms, stopping Kushina and Asuma in their tracks. He quickly sidestepped behind a nearby building, peeking around the corner. He put his forefinger in front of his lips, signaling for their silence. Kushina and Asuma looked at one another, both obviously confused by the Hokage's sudden, odd behavior.

"What's he up to?" she whispered while the Third was spying on his former student.

Asuma shrugged, "Dunno."

"Uh, Pervy Kage?" Kushina whispered. "Why are you spying on him?"

Hiruzen had missed the informality, turning and looking over Kushina with a mischievous grin on his face. Kushina's heart began to pound—she didn't like this look. "Uh...Hokage?" she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Think you can use that Transformation Technique on command?" he asked, his eyes gleaming. "For me?"

Kushina looked at him, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You just want to see it again," she grumbled.

"Nah!" he waved, jerking his thumb toward his former pupil. "But, I wanna see _his _reaction."

Kushina was holding her breath, as she silently debated his unusual request. "I don't know...."

Hiruzen rubbed his hands together, as if excited by his master plan. "Please? For me?"

Kushina's jaw fell open. Was the Hokage begging her--a ten-year-old refugee? Granted, his request was partially selfish, as she knew that he most likely wanted to set his eyes on the nude form that Kushina would inevitably summon. _Come on, _she urged herself, _just do it! What harm could it do? _

She peeked around the corner, spotting Minato looking disinterested in Jiraiya's pep talk. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed as he leaned against the building. His new hitai'ite was shiny proof of his Genin status. She had the sudden urge to rip that forehead protector off of his head.

"Fine," Kushina sighed, turning toward the Hokage. "One stipulation, though."

"If it's reasonable," Hiruzen nodded. He was practically jumping up and down, no doubt excited for his chance to play a prank on Jiraiya.

"I want ramen. Good ramen. For lunch _at least _three days per week. And sometimes dinner." she crossed her arms over her chest. Determination was set on her face. "You pay."

"Deal," he replied enthusiastically. Ramen was an easy and cheap meal to come upon in this village. Besides, he knew just the place...

Kushina shot out her hand to shake. The Kage took her slender hand in his and shook it fervently. She looked at her hand as he released his grip. It was something that her father had taught her: to shake on an agreement.

"_It's your word." _

"_My word?" _

"_Your integrity as a human being, Kushina. It's a sign of your honesty and morality. Your word is a sign that you'll always be true to your promises. Remember that, always. It'll get you far and make you many friends." _

Kushina smiled softly, as she remembered one of the last conversations she had with her father. She was glad that he had left her with something to live by—something to forever remind her of him. Even if it was invisible to the naked eye.

"Ready?" Hiruzen whispered anxiously, interrupting her thoughts.

She nodded as she turned and slapped her hands together, making the familiar hand seal. A soft popping sound could be heard as a cloud of smoke masked her tiny frame from the Hokage's sight. A shrill whistle rang out as the cloud of smoke floated around the form that had replaced the young girl. This time, instead of her hair cascading over her breasts, a pair of clouds covered her nudity.

"Hey you!" came the sweet voice from the curvy woman, her hair pinned up in cascading ringlets.

Jiraiya turned around, glancing briefly over his shoulder. He immediately did a double take, as the two boys before him stared in wide eyed curiosity, blushes creeping across their cheeks. Minato glanced up as well. His face was emotionless as he scrutinized the big-breasted, naked woman.

"W-w-who are you?" Jiraiya drooled, as he instinctively danced toward the red-headed beauty. Kushina wanted to laugh at his ape-like movements.

"You don't recognize me?" she pouted, jutting out her pillowy bottom lip. She blew him a kiss. Her stomach sank at the gesture, but she would play the game as long as ramen was involved.

Jiraiya reached out his hands, squeezing at the air in front of her breasts. "I'd definitely remember these!" he panted. "I'd say double D's!"

The young woman blushed, batting her eyelashes at the Toad Sage. She giggled, hiding her soft mouth with her neatly manicured hands.

"You sure are a rare beauty!" Jiraiya whistled, as he bent his head closer. "How about you give me a kiss, whaddya say?" he leaned down to take his reward. He was met with a swift punch to the nose as a puff of smoke signaled the mysterious woman's disappearance.

"Wha?" Jiraiya howled, as he stared at the now-empty cloud. "Where did she go?" tears ran down his cheeks as he held his bleeding nose. "I'm in love!"

"Freakin' pervert!" Kushina stood there, her hands on her hips. "You tried to _kiss me_!" Her blue eyes flashed their disgust.

Jiraiya stood there in shock. "Y-you? T-t-that was _you_?"

He was answered by the loud laughter from the tiny alleyway. Hiruzen was leaning over, clutching his stomach. "T-t-that was s-so touching!" he wiped tears from his eyes as he supported himself against the corner of the building.

"_You_ were behind this?" Jiraiya gaped at his former sensei.

"Well, she did most of the work!" The Hokage pointed at Kushina, who was still glaring angrily at Jiraiya.

The Toad Sage looked from one to the other. "I can't believe it!"

"Well, believe it, Pervert! You almost committed a felony," Kushina pointed out.

His face turned red, as he scratched his head. "But.....she looked so _real_!"

"Yeah, like some gorgeous woman would randomly appear for _you_," Kushina rolled her eyes.

"I've had my share of beautiful woman, thankyouverymuch!" Jiraiya shot back.

Hiruzen doubled over with a second wave of laughter as Asuma stood next to him, holding his Kage hat. "P-priceless! You should have seen your f-f-face!" He pointed at his former protege. "You are the ultimate pervert!"

Jiraiya said nothing, as Minato walked forward, handing his sensei something with which to wipe his nose. He shook his head sadly, "You're pathetic."

"Thanks," Jiraiya grinned. "I can't help but fall for pretty ladies," he winked at Kushina.

Kushina grimaced in disgust. "Don't let the geezer fool you, I got him with the same trick, earlier," she jerked her thumb toward the amused Hokage.

"Izzat true?" Jiraiya asked, his eyebrows raised in amusement as he wiped his nose. "Who's the pervert now, Sarutobi-sensei?"

Hiruzen pouted slightly as he replaced his hat. "You weren't supposed to share _that _part!" he told Kushina.

"You didn't tell me not to!" she shot back. Behind Jiraiya, she could see the two, unfamiliar Genin mocking Jiraiya's behavior. One was blowing kisses, as the other jumped around, waving his arms—obviously playing the role of Jiraiya in the short-lived reenactment.

"Child's games," came the flat voice.

"Excuse me?" Kushina retorted, "What did you just say?"

"You heard me," Minato replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"We were just having fun," she shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that. No one was harmed."

"That's something a child would do," he drawled, unimpressed.

Kushina stared at him for a few moments, deciding that this boy needed a good ass-kicking. "You're a real idiot, you know that?" she snapped.

He shrugged, "You really should take these jutsus more seriously. I hope you are not considering becoming a shinobi. That would be a real problem."

"WHAT?" she roared. "Who are _you_ to tell me to take _anything _seriously?"

"Forget it," he looked at her with icy blue eyes. He quickly turned and walked away, leaving Kushina to dwell on his words. He managed to take a few steps before she responded.

"Do you know what it's like to see everyone in your family killed?" she hissed, her hands tightly balled at her sides. "Your friends slaughtered like livestock?"

Minato stopped walking, turning slightly. He said nothing.

"No, I didn't think so!" she yelled. "So don't _you _tell _me _to be serious! I don't take things lightly, but living like a stuffy know-it-all would be _horrible_! I'd rather _die_!"

She could feel her face turning red from her yelling and her eyes were stinging with tears that were threatening to run freely. She wasn't sure why she was sharing all of this, but the young blonde had managed to set her off. All of the emotions she had held inside of her these past few months were finally being released.

Minato turned toward her, opening his mouth to say something, but Kushina didn't give him the chance, "It's a real effort to wake up and smile every single day. Some days I think I'm no better than those monsters that killed my family." She slowly took a step toward him. Then another. "So, _no_, I don't want to be _serious_."

She was standing inches away from him, her eyes flashing their anger and hurt. She reached out with a forefinger and poked him in the chest. _**"**_Don't you _ever_ think about telling me _how to be_ ever again! Do you hear me, Prodigy Boy? Don't you so much as look at me or talk to me! If you can do that, then we won't have a problem!"

Minato took a few steps back with each forceful thrust from her finger. His mouth fell open in shock at her outburst. He had obviously not been expecting to be reprimanded, especially not by this young refugee. Before he could say anything, Kushina spun and stormed off, pushing past Jiraiya.

"Move it!" she growled as she passed him. Jiraiya did as she bid, watching her with silent bewilderment.

She avoided Hiruzen's gaze as she walked past him. Asuma looked at his father, a silent message passing between father and son. Asuma quickly followed after Kushina, waving a quick goodbye to Jiraiya and the Third.

Hiruzen slowly approached Jiraiya and Minato, his eyes still on Kushina's back. "Well, that didn't go so well, did it?" he asked softly. He hadn't heard Kushina speak of her family before, but he had an inkling of _how _she had come to Konohagakure.

He tugged at his beard for a few moments. "I suppose I should go do my Hokage duties, before my assistant comes to find me. She's quite unpleasant when that happens."

Jiraiya nodded silently, as the Hokage walked away. He looked down at his flabbergasted student, a sad smile on his face. "That, Minato," he pointed toward Kushina's back, "is your first enemy, I think."

Minato blinked, still saying nothing. For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words.

*****

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*****

Kushina kept walking—not caring where her feet led her. She brushed the tears from her stinging eyes. She was at least thankful that she held them back until after she turned her back on the group. She would be damned if she'd let them see her cry!

"Shina?" came the child's voice.

"Go away!" she steadied her voice. "I want to be alone."

She took a few more steps before quickly collapsing under a tree. She dropped her face into her hands as she tried to calm herself. Part of her was embarrassed for her outburst, the other part of her was disappointed that she didn't punch the arrogant bastard. She thumped her fist against the ground, how she hated Namikaze Minato! She didn't care if she ever saw him again!

"K'Shina?" Asuma called a second time.

Kushina peeked between her fingers. She could see his feet; he was standing a few feet in front of her. After a few deep breaths, she looked up at the young boy. His brow was knitted in concern as he studied the newest addition to his family. He slowly pulled his book bag off of his shoulders, dropping it to the ground. He reached inside, carefully pulling out the trench knives from earlier.

"Take these," he pushed the sharp instruments toward her.

"What?"

"You are good at using these, 'Shina," he tried to explain. "You should have these."

"I can't take them, Asuma," she stared at the beautifully crafted weapons. "They have been in your family for ages."

"I can't use them," he admitted sadly. Suddenly his eyes lit up. "But....you could keep them 'til I'm old enough to learn how to use them!"

Kushina wanted to protest, but his smile stopped her. She may have only been with the Sarutobi household for a few days, but she knew it was rare for the young boy to smile. Ever. She could tell that he felt neglected by his father—trying his best to earn Hiruzen's attention and pride.

No, she couldn't resist that smile--it would be a sin.

"OK," she returned his grin with her own, weak smile. "I'll hold onto 'em. But, only until you're old enough. Deal, Squirt?" she reached up to tousle his hair.

"OK," he answered, happy that he could help make Kushina smile again. He looked at his feet, something else bothering him. "Kushina?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could teach me?" he asked, his face turning pink.

"Teach you?" she echoed, confused by his question.

He nodded. "To be a shinobi? I can't go to school for a while yet, Father says. But, maybe you could teach me stuff. Like how you used those," he pointed to the trench knives.

"Sure, kid," she grinned. She held out her hand. Asuma looked at it, confused by the gesture.

"Shake it," Kushina instructed.. He slowly reached out his chubby hand, gingerly pulling on her fingers.

"No, like this," Kushina corrected him, taking his entire hand in hers.

"Now," she smiled her first real smile of the day, "It's a promise."

***

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***

_**Thanks for your wonderful reviews! I appreciate the support--it motivates me to keep writing. **_

_**Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read my meager story :D**_

_**Happy Reading!**_

**PS:** I know Minato seems like a brat right now, but he'll redeem himself. We haven't seen too much of him or his side--but I promise that you'll get a chance to get to 'know' him! He's not a bad guy, I swear!


	5. New Girl

Kushina quietly walked away from the scurrying crowd of kids as they excitedly chattered about the day's events. She assumed that this was how it always was after a long day of lessons and practice at the Academy. The last time she was around this many people, they were traveling together to the great Hidden Village of Konohagakure—in hopes of a new, brighter future. Right now, though, Kushina's future didn't seem so bright. Not with the kind of day she had.

She quickly wandered over to a nearby tree, hoping to find somewhere she could sit and ruminate on her own. The voices of her classmates were slowly dying down; if she waited long enough, she would have her coveted solitude. Kushina's hand rested on the worn bark of the tree, as she peered up into it, finding a low-lying branch to which she could easily climb. It was one of her favorite past-times: climbing trees and seeing how close she could get to the sky. It always made her feel so free and powerful. Until her father would beckon for her to come down.

"Why do you like up there so much?" he would ask. "Aren't you afraid of heights?"

"Nah," she would shake her head, her face lighting up. "I bet that's what it feels like to be a _bird_, Daddy!"

He would laugh, often times staring thoughtfully at the sky before playfully patting her head. "Maybe that's why you are suited to use Wind."

She had never really understood what he had meant by that comment. Would her love for being so close to the sky make her more apt to use such an elemental chakra? Or was it her ability to use such an element that made her love being closer to the sky? She shrugged to herself, it wasn't as if it mattered anyhow. She was stuck with it, whether she liked it or not.

Kushina used a bit of chakra to help her reach the lowest branch. She landed nimbly—much more so than a child of ten years. Experience had given her that, and she was quite proud of her prowess and agility. She obviously wasn't as gifted at making clones of herself, as she had so awkwardly found out in front of her classmates earlier that day. She excelled at many things, but the few she didn't do so well with were apparently just as important.

"Stupid clones, why do we need them if the enemy will be able to tell them from the real user?" she grumbled under her breath, her cheeks burning from the memory of her first attempt.

She was having difficulty trying to create an illusion of herself, and had only realized she had been semi-successful when the class roared with laughter. She had opened her eyes to find the copy sprawled on the floor, face-first—as if it had been created solely to face-plant on the classroom floor—its pale and translucent body a sign of her poor progress. After that, she had merely pretended to focus, hoping that she would blend in with the two others who were doing just as poorly as she was at making proper clones.

"Definitely need to practice that later. I can't have _that _happen again," she promised herself. Maybe she could ask the Sandaime for help....

She quickly leaped from branch to branch until she was on the one she had spotted from below. She lounged along the length of it, sticking her skinny legs out in front of her. She sighed as she laid her head against the rough bark.

"What a day," she murmured, closing her eyes in hopes of pushing the memory of her first day at the Ninja Academy as far away as possible.

From what she had gathered, it wasn't normal for new students to just waltz into an already-established class half-way through the year. She knew the Hokage had pulled some strings to get her admitted into a class with students who were more her age--as opposed to the lower-year classes. She had almost wished she could have been placed with the younger students. Maybe then, at least, she wouldn't have had to answer so many questions....

***

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***

"Why is your hair so red?"

"Where are you from again?"

"Where's your family?"

"Is it true you are living with the Hokage?"

"What's it like in the Hokage Mansion?"

She had awkwardly twiddled her thumbs and stammered out responses the best she could. A few of the questions, she chosen not to answer—mainly any and all questions about her family. Luckily for her, the sensei had interrupted the student's feeble attempts to make the young Whirlpool refugee feel welcome, ushering her to a seat in the back of the classroom. She had been thankful to sit so far away from the front of the class, where she could avoid the stares of the other kids, though that didn't stop few from being so rude. Usually, if she stuck her tongue out at them or contorted her face in some odd manner, they turned back to the instructor. A few still felt it necessary to turn around and stare--even after her antics. She made a mental note to memorize those student's faces, so that when the time came, she would humiliate _them_.

She made it to lunch without having much difficulty, mostly because she knew what to expect of the daily routine, thanks to Hiruzen. After lunch, she quickly realized she had counted her blessings too soon. Upon returning to the classroom, she found that the girls had been separated from the boys, leaving her with a classroom full of giggling, excited young women. She knew that this must be the class that the Hokage had warned her of--the one that all the girls took in order to learn how to be a proper lady. The thought of attending this class made Kushina gag, but she vowed to give it a chance. Soon after finding a seat on the floor amongst the loudly chattering girls, the female instructor informed the class that they would be learning how to dress in a 'more feminine manner' that day. As quickly as the words had tumbled from the instructor's mouth, dresses, shoes, and makeup were proffered to the girls--forcing Kushina to have a minor panic attack.

"What's wrong with you?" the sensei had barked at her, her eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. She glared at the pale, sweaty girl as she rocked on the floor.

"C-c-can't b-b-b-breathe!" she gasped, as she tried to control her panic. _Dresses_! Horrible, floral dresses! And _make-up_!

"Alright, better get this one to the doc. You," she pointed at a dark-haired girl with triangular red markings on her cheeks, "take her there."

"Yes, Sensei," the young girl bowed, her eyes quickly darting toward Kushina—who was a sweaty mess as well as the center of attention.

The other girls in the class were pointing and staring in wide-eyed horror. Some giggled at the odd behavior displayed by the new girl as she was escorted from the room. Kushina continued her labored breathing as the assigned escort walked ahead of her, looking back every so often--most likely to make sure that the the panicking girl didn't die on her before she saw the medic-nin on staff.

When they had reached the office, the girl pointed at the door, taking a seat against the wall. "There ya go! It's all you!"

"T-thanks," Kushina offered, as she turned the knob.

"Don't mention it," the girl waved, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ya just saved me from that awful class." She shoved her forefinger into her mouth as she stuck out her tongue and made a gagging noise. The unexpected hilarity from the oddly-tattooed girl forced Kushina to giggle. Panic quickly turned into a bad case of the hiccups.

Kushina wandered into the office, quickly stopping when she came face-to-face a voluptuous woman with long blonde hair. The woman appeared to have been in a very deep sleep, from the red lines on her right cheek, which matched that of the book on her desk. The woman bolted upright at the sound of the door shutting behind Kushina, looking in every direction before realizing who had interrupted her afternoon nap.

"Whattya want?" the woman slurred, looking over the young girl before her. There were bags under her eyes and she looked to be sleep deprived, despite her apparent slumber.

"C-couldn't breath," Kushina answered quickly, suddenly afraid of the woman before her. Despite her unruly appearance, the young girl knew that this woman was a force to be reckoned with.

"Sounds like you are doing just fine to me," the woman said, lifting her chin onto the backs of her hands, so she could get a better view of the red-headed runt. She interlaced her fingers, blinking a few times while she cleared her thoughts.

Kushina furrowed her brows as if she were just as confused about her sudden cure. "You can ask the girl who brought me here!" she yelped, her face turning pink. "I'm not lying to you!"

"Nah, I believe you," the woman drawled, her hand reaching for a cup at the corner of her desk. "What class were you in?"

"Not sure, it was my first day..." she shook her head, trailing off as the woman quickly tilted her head back and poured the drink down her throat.

The blonde studied her from over the top of her cup. "Is that so?"

Kushina merely nodded as she was scrutinized from head-to-toe. A half-smile formed on the woman's faintly tinted lips. "You must be the one Jiraiya told me about," she murmured. "Red hair..."

"The perverted sage?" the young girl crinkled her nose in disgust.

"You know, that's the reaction he always gets from women. You'd think he'd realize that _he's _the problem!" she snorted. Kushina didn't entirely understand the woman's words, but she knew that it was a jab at Jiraiya. She smiled her childish understanding.

"Ok, kid, so what's the problem, _really_?" she leaned over her desk, eying Kushina suspiciously.

Kushina thought she could smell alcohol on the woman's breath. "I-I really couldn't breathe. I don't know why! The stuffy woman—I mean, er, the_ instructor_—brought out these flowery dresses--"

"Ah, I see now," she sat heavily in her chair. "Having to dress _like a girl_ scared you!" She smiled, as if she had come to some amazingly sought-after conclusion.

"What's that supposed to mean, lady?" Kushina shot back. She wasn't sure if she liked this woman or not--and right now, she was leaning toward _not_.

The woman shrugged, "You tell me."

"Anyhow," Kushina pushed her short red locks from her face, ignoring the older kunoichi's words, "I'm here to see the medical ninja, or medic-nin, or whatever you people call it."

"You're lookin' at her," came the smug reply as the woman easily crossed her arms over her large--and majorly displayed--chest.

Kushina's jaw fell open. "_You_? You're the doctor?"

"Yep. Me. Got a problem with that?" the woman replied, her eyes narrowed challengingly.

"Nope!" the girl squeaked, swallowing hard. She definitely did _not _want to piss this woman off! Ridiculously large breasts or not, this woman exuded _power_.

The woman smiled to herself, finding the young tomboy amusing. "How about I write you a note, and you can just hang outside until your next class?" She leaned back in her chair, awaiting an answer as she peered at Kushina through half-closed lids.

"You just want to go back to sleep!" Kushina shot back, turning her head slightly as if assessing the woman's true intent.

"Perhaps you are right," she shrugged. "But the offer remains. You can return to the class if you want. Waltz around in your flowery kimono--"

"Ok! I-I'll take the note," Kushina nodded her head frantically as she interrupted the medic's hidden threat. She smiled weakly at the woman, "But there's another student, she'll need an excuse, too!"

"Fine! It's a deal. Now get the hell out of my office," she fanned her yawn.

"Thank you, er--"

"Tsunade."

"Ah, yes, thank you, Tsunade!" she bowed her appreciation.

"Out! Now!" the woman's finger jutted into the air in the direction of the door.

Kushina did as she was bid, not even bothering to look back as she swiftly exited the medic-nin's office. She found her tattooed companion curled up in a ball on the row of seats in the hallway. She shared what Tsunade had told her she would do for the two students, and the ferocious-looking girl eagerly complied with the medic-nin's suggestion.

"Thanks for getting me outta that hell hole!" she grinned toothily as the odd markings crinkled on her cheeks, looking more like red rectangles instead of triangles. Kushina realized that her eyes were also slightly different than any she had ever seen. More wolf-like, she thought.

"I-I'm Kushina!" she held out her hand. The girl stared at her hand with unequal enthusiasm while she decided what to do with the outstretched palm. She chose to ignore the gesture.

"I know who ya are. You're the one who got drilled in front of the class," the dark-haired girl recounted. "What idiots!"

Kushina remained silent, unsure of what to make of the girl's comments. She had an abrasive personality, though Kushina wasn't entirely certain that she meant to be unwelcoming. She held her breath as the girl looked her over before suddenly reaching out and touched Kushina's red hair.

"It's not so bad....I like it. Wish I had your hair color," she grunted. Her eyes flickered over Kushina's face, "Tsume."

Kushina blinked a few times before realizing that the girl had just offered her name. "Hi, Tsume, nice to meet you!" she smiled sweetly.

"Eh," Tsume shrugged. "Don't be so nice, it freaks me out. I liked ya better when ya didn't talk."

"Ok," Kushina nodded, unsure of how to act.

"I'm just joking with ya!" the girl slapped Kushina on the back. "I owe ya for getting me out of that class, that's for sure! And I really do like your hair color. So ignore what those idiots said to ya in class. I'd take red over this rat's nest any day!" she pointed at her own head.

***

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***

Later that day, Kushina was met another girl...Yoshino. Like Tsume, Yoshino seemed to be a no-nonsense type, though she was much more reserved in conversation. Instead of outwardly blurting her thoughts, her facial expressions did the talking for her. Kushina had been thankful she had been partnered with the girl during their daily routine exercises--as she didn't know if she could take any more of the whispers and stares directed at her.

Yoshino and Tsume. Kushina decided she rather liked the two girls. She didn't mind the young dark-haired Nara who had briefly spoken to her between his naps in the back of the classroom. He had been kind to her, even if it hadn't been in so many words. And even if it_ had_ been to gain Yoshino's attention. Though, Yoshino did not seem to share that same interest in the spiky-haired boy.

Kushina sighed, maybe the Academy wasn't so unbearable after all....

A familiar voice cut through her thoughts, pushing the memories of her newfound friends into the back of her mind. She peered through the leaves to see where the commotion was coming from--finding the culprit standing in front of the Academy. She leaned forward, pushing the leaves from her line of sight. Jiraiya's face was twisted into an expression Kushina had never seen on him as he spoke to someone.

_Two people_, she corrected herself.

She squinted against the glaring sunlight as it pounded down on the village. She could make out the two, overly large breasts she had encountered earlier. The third person was a shorter, dark-haired girl that didn't look like she could be much younger than Kushina. She stood there silently as Tsunade and Jiraiya argued back and forth. Kushina couldn't make out what the two shinobi were saying, but she could tell—from the expression on Jiraiya's face—that it was not something he agreed with. Kushina leaped down onto another branch, balancing herself by grabbing the one above her as she pushed the branches aside. A few more words were exchanged, before the blonde woman waved her arm and stormed off. The young raven-haired girl looked between her two, older companions before quickly shuffling after the medic-nin.

_Wonder what that's all about? _Kushina silently wondered. She watched as Jiraiya continued to stare after the woman, looking crest-fallen. Kushina almost felt sorry for him. _Almost_. She watched him turn in her direction, though he never lifted his eyes from his feet as they carried him to the base of her tree. He never looked up, and Kushina remained silent as he lounged beneath her, his eyes closed as the sunlight spilled across his face.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop, y'know!" came the Sannin's baritone. There was a hint of amusement in his voice, though she felt it was masking something deeper. Something more profound. And probably nothing she cared much about.

Kushina jumped at the sudden noise, almost falling from her perch. "It's not eavesdroppin' if I can't hear anything, pervert!" she snapped back.

He smiled, his eyes still shut. "So, how was your first day?"

Kushina began to lower herself from the tree, until she was sitting on the branch above him—her scrawny legs dangling over the branch. "Eh, it was alright, I s'pose."

"That bad, huh?" he grinned, his eyes remaining tightly closed. "I hear you panicked during afternoon kunoichi classes."

"Did not!" she pouted, her face reddening. When he did not speak, she knew she had not convinced him otherwise.

"H-how did you know?" she squeaked in defeat.

"A little birdie told me," he smirked, winking at her as she stared down at him from above.

"Big Boobs told you, didn't she? She's a friend of yours, huh?" Kushina nodded toward where they had been conversing.

"You mean Tsunade? Can you believe she used to be flat-chested when we were kids? Just like you," he whistled. "And look at her now. Never give up hope, Kushina. Never!"

Kushina rolled her eyes, quickly leaping from the tree, landing feet-first on Jiraiya's stomach, "Scumbag!"

She could hear the wind escape his lungs as her body weight crushed his abdomen, "Ooof!"

"That'll teach you to be a geezer!" her hands shot to her non-existent hips. "Now how do you really know her?"

"Tsunade was my teammate when we were kids. Taught by Hiruzen ourselves." He rubbed his stomach and propped himself up onto one arm.

"Oh." She replied dryly. She hadn't known _that_.

"We go way back," he waved his hand non-chalantly, as his eyes drifted slightly out of focus.

"Why don't you ask her out?" Kushina asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Why. Don't. You. Ask. Her. Out. Moron?" she repeated, adding her own touch at the end. She rolled her eyes as he stared at her dumfounded. "You obviously like her."

Jiraiya studied the scrawny pre-teen before him. How did the eyes of children seem to catch so much? More than most adults can realize was conveyed. Her naivety reminded him of the three Ame disciples he had briefly trained. He sucked in a breath, his ribs still sore from her weak attack.

"She's....it's complicated," he murmured half-heartedly.

"It's not complicated. You like her. Ask her out," Kushina plopped down in the grass beside him.

"No, that won't do any good," he answered softly.

"Why not?" she asked between yawns.

"For starters, I have tried to. Multiple times, in fact. But I just end up being pummeled by her," he smirked. "Secondly, she's engaged."

"Engaged? Her?" Kushina's practically shreiked the last part. "To _what_?"

"His name is Dan," Jiriaya picked at a few blades of grass near his knee. "Or it was, I mean."

"_Was_?"

Jiraiya nodded. "He died in the war. As did her brother. She couldn't save either of them....never been the same since," his voice remained low as his eyes spoke the sadness he couldn't outwardly convey.

Kushina silently nodded, understanding that this Tsunade woman was in pain. She had detected the slightest hint of if in the office earlier that day. Maybe it was because she, too, had suffered the loss of her loved ones. Her father always said she had a keen sense of what others were feeling....

"So you see, Squirt," he folded his arms behind his head. "That wouldn't be the best of ideas. Get it?"

Again, Kushina nodded. "So what were you two talking about, then? You seemed pretty upset."

A strained smile spread across his face. "Nothing much. She's leaving the village. I think she should at least wait until we can find a replacement medic." He wasn't sure why he was sharing so much with the young girl, but he somehow felt better from all of it....

"I see," she whispered. She really didn't, but she could at least grasp some of the brevity of the situation.

"Good," Jiraiya nodded, turning to look at her. She was wearing a long-sleeved dark orange shirt, with a short-sleeved black zip-up hoodie over it. Long black shorts covered her bony knees, and she was donning the traditional footwear of most Academy students. She looked like a true resident of Konoha. Except for her hair....

"Why are you grinning, Old Man?" she glared at him suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing," he mused, a smile still playing on his lips. "I see Hiruzen was good for his word. You got to dress yourself. Though I think a skirt would have been more becoming on you!"

The young girl sputtered a string of profanities--that even the weariest of shinobi would unlikely use--as she quickly jumped to her feet. She left him under the tree, only turning to make unladylike gestures at him. Jiriaya shook his head, chuckling to himself as she ran in the direction of the Hokage Manor.

"That girl," he muttered to himself, "is going to cause a lot of problems for my student, someday. And neither of them know it."

*****

* * *

** I had decided to make a few friends for Kushina, which is difficult, since the timeline is a bit shaky. I wasn't sure who was close to her age.  
**

**I also tried to think of who would have similar personalities, and these are just some I thought of (Shikaku, Yoshino, Tsume), hopefully it doesn't disappoint.  
**

**Enjoy & Happy Holidays!**

Thanks for readin' and reviewin' :D


	6. Growing Pains

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! It may be a bit longer for another one-I'm starting a crazy rotation for the next two months, so I may not be posting as much. Not gonna lie, the next two months are lookin' pretty rough, since writing is how I de-stress...ugh... **

**Anyway, there has been a time skip. I made names for Kushina's teammates, purely made up-as is the rest of the timeline. I have no idea how old they were when they became genin/chunin/jonin, etc. **

**Please leave me your thoughts :) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed-you all are wonderful (as are those of you reading this story!)**

**Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters

* * *

Lady Sarutobi was preparing that night's meal as she heard the door slam. A blur of red, orange, and black whipped past the kitchen.

"Kushina," she called out patiently.

She never had to raise her voice to the teenager, not once in the three years Kushina had lived with the Sarutobi family. Kushina had always been respectful and considerate to her, though that was not always the case with her husband. Hiruzen deserved it-Lady Sarutobi was sure of it, as she was well aware of his playfulness when she married him. The Hokage's wife could hear the quick retreat of footsteps as Kushina appeared in the doorway—leaning on the frame and breathing heavily. She had a small gash across her cheek; thick droplets of blood were oozing out of it.

"Yes, Ka-chan?" Kushina blurted as she gasped for air.

Lady Sarutobi smiled as she looked over the teen. Kushina had been addressing her—albeit informally—as 'mother' for quite some time now. The older woman couldn't deny that she felt both proud and loved at being addressed as the girl's mother. She had always wanted a little girl of her own...maybe...

"Hello?" Kushina waved a hand in front of her Lady Sarutobi's face. "Are you alright? You're spacing out on me!"

Lady Sarutobi blinked a few times. She pushed a few stray strands of hair from her face. "Oh, y-yes! I'm perfectly fine. I'm preparing tonight's dinner," she said warmly. "We are having guests."

"I'd help, but I've just been training with my team, and I smell like the men's bathouse. What time's dinner? I was going to meet with Yoshino and Tsume for more training," Kushina explained. She had grown closer to the two women in her years at the Academy and thereafter. She had been initially disappointed at not being placed on a team with at least one of them, but she understood that teams were often made of complementary students. She thought they complemented one another just fine, but apparently no one else did.

"You are training so much, lately," Lady Sarutobi frowned as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Chunin Exams are in six months, and I want to be in top shape!" the red-head grinned widely, her eyes flashing their excitement.

The Hokage's wife reached out and dabbed at the bright blood on her foster daughter's cheek, "You could always wait for the next one-"

"And be seventeen when I become a chunin?" Kushina winced. "I'll pass on _that _idea! I don't wanna be old!"

"That's not _old_, my dear," Lady Sarutobi said softly as she looked over Kushina's clothes. It was always orange. The girl wore nothing else. She had tried to buy Kushina something more lady-like, something more feminine in color. But each time, the Uzumaki heiress fought against it, tooth and nail—sometimes going as far as to make retching noises.

"It is if you're _me_!" the genin jerked a thumb toward her chest. "Anyway, who's comin' for dinner? More council members?" She pulled a face, she hated those stuffy good-for-nothings.

"Jiraiya," Lady Sarutobi smirked as she turned back to her chopping. She could feel Kushina's surprise. "That perverted Sage is back in town?"

"It appears so, as Hiruzen has just informed me that he will be joining us for dinner. With a guest, as well. A chunin, I think."

"Hmm," Kushina replied, listening half-heartedly. _What prank can I get him with this time? _she thought mischievously. She knew she had to be on good behavior, as Hiruzen was still angry at her for gluing his assistant's personal items to her desk. Then there was the Transformation Technique incident, where she transformed in front of one of the older councilmen. Poor guy was rushed to the hospital soon after. She was so lost in her thoughts that she had missed Lady Sarutobi's last comment.

"Well, I can't guarantee that I'll be here for food, but maybe seeing the old bat won't be so bad," Kushina shrugged, crossing her arms over her developing chest. She was still slightly self-conscious that people could tell she was wearing bra.

"It would be nice if you could," her adoptive mother offered. "But I understand if you can't." Her words never reached their intended target, as Kushina had rushed off upstairs, no doubt to take a nap. Lady Sarutobi shook her head, she had no idea how the girl slept so much. Or kept her slim figure with the amount of food she ate. She swore that Kushina could drive them into bankruptcy with the amount of ramen she ate per week.

* * *

"Please, come in, Jiraiya. Minato," Lady Sarutobi greeted the two dinner guests at the front door.

"Where's the old fart?" Jiraiya joked peering into the mansion. Minato sighed, this was going to be torture. He was sure of it.

"He's in the den, looking over some papers," she gestured for them to come in. "Would either of you like anything to drink?"

"Whatever you have is fine," Jiraiya grinned.

"I'll have what he's having, thank you," Minato smiled warmly as he followed his sensei into the mansion. _This, _he thought to himself, _will someday be my home! _

Minutes later, the lady of the house returned with beverages. "Dinner is ready, please take your seats at the table, would you, gentlemen?" She disappeared from the room as the three men followed her. They could hear her ascend the steps, most likely to let Asuma know that food was on the table.

"How's the kid?" Jiraiya asked as he took a seat.

"Which one?" Hiruzen replied. "Got two of 'em here still."

"Kushina-chan is staying with you?" Jiraiya had almost forgotten that the Third had taken the young Whirlpool refugee into his home.

"Of course! Eatin' me out of house and home, that one," Hiruzen grunted. "You should see her now..." His eyes caught the slight change in Minato's posture.

"Was I right?" the Toad Sage winked.

Hiruzen chuckled, "She's still at tomboy, but she has the dedication to make her one of the best damned kunoichi this village has ever seen!"

"Genin now, I take it?" the white-haired man inquired.

"Been one for some time," Hiruzen rubbed his chin as he thought back on her Genin Exams. Kushina passed the exam with flying colors, with one small exception: her shadow clones left much to be desired. No matter how much she practiced, she never produced anything useable.

"Never seen it before," the Hokage remarked, "she can't make one damned useful basic clone, but she can make shadow copy of herself."

"Shadow Clone Technique but not perform the Clone Technique, eh?" Jiraiya considered, "Maybe a property of her chakra, perhaps?"

"But then why can she use the Transformation Technique? You've _seen _that one," the Fifth leaned closer as he whispered, his eyes darting around nervously.

Minato snorted as Jiraiya's face turned red, "Hey, uh, let's not talk about that, can we? I was vulnerable!"

"Do you know how many times I've heard that over the past couple of years?" Minato shook his head, as Hiruzen laughed.

"So when do you think she'll become a chunin?" Jiraiya attempted to change the subject.

Hiruzen leaned back in his seat, tugging at his beard. "Dunno, she's training to take the one in six months."

"Why not wait for the next one?" Minato asked, the words leaving his mouth before he could stop them.

"Boy, your guess is as good as mine!" the Hokage answered as the thundering sound of Asuma's feet came closer.

"Jiraiya!" Asuma yelled as he slid around the corner. "You're back!"

"My, look at how you've grown!" Jiraiya smiled as he mussed the hair on a much-taller Asuma's head.

"Hey! Quit that, would ya? I'm not a kid anymore," he grinned. "I'm in the Ninja Academy!"

"Are you now?" the sage asked, his eyes solemn.

"Yup! I'm gonna grow up and be a strong ninja, just like Father!" he puffed out his chest as he shared his dream.

"That's some big shoes to fill, Asuma. Sure you want to grow up to be an old pervert like your dad?" Jiraiya wriggled his eyebrows. Confusion was evident on Asuma's face as he looked from the white-haired man to his father.

He turned back to Jiraiya, his eyes serious, "What's a 'pervert'?"

Minato began to laugh as Jiraiya joined him. Even Hiruzen found his son's innocence humorous. Lady Sarutobi entered the room, steaming bowls of food in hand. She gracefully placed the food on the table.

"What's so funny, gentlemen?" she asked sweetly.

"Mother, what's a 'pervert'?" Asuma repeated his question.

Lady Sarutobi remained silent as she glanced at both her husband and Jiraiya. She closed her eyes, a small smile spreading across her face. "Jiraiya, it's good to have you home."

Minutes later, the Sarutobis and their two guests were enjoying their meal as Minato shared stories about Jiraiya's mishaps during their travel. Jiraiya sat there, red-faced and mumbling, as the conversation deviated from the original topic. Even with the laughter, Lady Sarutobi heard the sound of Kushina's footsteps on the stairs as the girl quickly flew past the room. The teen had almost made it out the front door before the Hokage's wife called for her.

"Kushina."

Kushina cringed as she heard her name. She was already late in meeting Yoshino and Tsume on the training grounds, but she knew that Lady Sarutobi didn't often use _that_ tone. It wasn't a question, it was a demand. She decided it couldn't hurt to quickly pop her head into the room before disappearing for the rest of the evening.

"Yes?" she replied, weakly, as she entered the room.

"Kushina-chan!" Jiraiya bellowed as he looked over her.

It had been nearly three years, if not more, since he saw her last. She had grown much since then—now a gangly fourteen-year-old girl. She was skinny and her legs were long, neither of which were hidden by her uniform. She wore a short orange jacket, partly unzipped, with the sleeves pushed up above her elbows. Underneath was a traditional black mesh tank top. She also wore longer black shorts with her boots, her hitae-ite being worn as a belt. Her hair was much longer than he remembered. When he left, it was short and covered her face. Now, it was pulled back and secured into a high ponytail. It looked more of a deep golden red than the bright red he remembered. It suited her face—which had lost much of its rounded shape. She was definitely on her way to becoming a woman.

"Wow, did you grow up!" he whistled. He could see the blush creep across her cheeks as well as hear the sharp intake of breath from his student.

"And I see you're still as perverted as ever," she snapped, despite the smile on her face. "You've come back alive, though."

"I have," he nodded, as her eyes darted to the boy next to him. Her face paled as she realized that Namikaze Minato had accompanied his sensei to the Hokage Manor.

"Kushina-san," Minato murmured, never taking his bright blue eyes off of her. She responded with a stiff nod in acknowledgment.

"Will you be joining us?" Lady Sarutobi politely asked.

"N-no, er, I am meeting my friends to train for the exams," she replied weakly as she avoided Minato's stare. Why was he staring at her now? Did he have something negative to say about her again?

"Didn't you train with your team, earlier?" Hiruzen spoke with his mouth full.

"I trained with Arashi and Ken, yeah. But, that's my _team_! I know how they fight and what their strengths and weaknesses are! I hafta get all the practice I can get. I don't wanna wait two more years to take this damned exam!" she retorted, her fists clenching. _No, _she thought, _I will pass this exam. I will become the best damned kunoichi in this village. That'll show that damned Namikaze! _

She had been training with her team each and every morning after they decided to enter the upcoming Chunin Exams. They were, by far, one of the strongest teams of their year—mostly due to their complementing abilities. Her team excelled in nintaijutsu. Arashi—the quiet one-was a member of the Hyuuga clan, which was an odd bunch if she ever saw one! At first, his almost pupil-less lavender eyes disturbed her, but after time, she realized that they were a clan trait—a source of pride and establishment for the young man. Ken was the boisterous of the group, often instigating Kushina's bad behaviors and helping her play pranks on unsuspecting victims. He was a taijutsu specialist, using summoning scrolls to bring forth weapons for his attacks. His skill allowed him to fight at both close and long-ranges, making him a vital part of the team. Though he used mostly taijutsu, he was capable of using fire-based ninjutsu—which Kushina could compliment with her wind attacks. As of late, the two had been trying out new combo attack in which Kushina's wind-based ninjutsu accelerated the fire-based attacks. Purely Arashi's ideas, as the brilliance of it would have never dawned on Ken or Kushina.

"Spoken like a true shinobi," Jiraiya applauded. "You're wind-based, no?"

"Yup. Learnin' water as well," she quickly replied. It was funny how that worked: water was her father's element, and she had come a long way from making ripples in puddles. In fact, since she had come to the village after the war, and had used the Sarutobi Clan's chakra blades, she had become more wind-dominant. She had finally become more like her mother, though, lately, the young Uzumaki had developed a knack for controlling that water, as well, and much more potently than in puddles.

"Impressive, indeed. You'll be hitting jonin ranks in no time! Maybe beat Minato here," Jiraiya smiled as he elbowed Minato.

Kushina eyed the boy warily. _Didn't ka-chan say he was a chunin? He's way above me, then! _

"I don't think that's a possibility," Kushina shrugged. "That kid's a prodigy." She jerked her thumb in Minato's direction. The young chunin's eyes widened slightly, though he didn't know if Kushina was praising him or being facetious.

"Anyhow," she shrugged, "gotta meet Tsume and Yoshino! It was nice seein' you again, Jiraiya-sama." She bowed, proving that she could be courteous and respectful when necessary.

"As always, Kushina-chan! I look forward to seeing you around. Maybe a date in a few years, yes?" he grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Perverted fool!" she muttered. "I should-"

"Kushina!" Asuma interrupted, "Can I come, too? I wanna practice!"

Kushina smiled warmly at the young boy. He had become like a brother to her, and she took pride in his childish idolization of her. She knew that he was often lonely, except for the attention of mother. Hiruzen had been far too busy to train him, especially with the upcoming exams in Konoha. Exams led to more paperwork for the Hokage-which led to less time at the mansion.

"Please?" Asuma begged.

Kushina nodded, "Sure, if ka-chan and ojii-chan allow it." She smirked as Asuma giggled at her reference to Hiruzen as 'grandfather'.

"I'll let you know, I still don't have one gray hair. Not one!" the vein on Hiruzen's forehead bulged. Kushina knew she had pushed the Hokage too far.

"See ya!" Kushina blurted as she disappeared from their sight. Lady Sarutobi smiled as her husband cursed under his breath.

"Mother, Father, can I please practice with Kushina?" Asuma's eyes pleaded with his parents.

"It's getting late, you shouldn't be going over there by yourself, Asuma," Hiruzen replied.

"But-" Asuma began to protest.

"I'll escort him, Hokage-sama," Minato shrugged. "He'll be safe with me."

Asuma looked to his parents, awaiting their answer. They glanced at one another. Hiruzen nodded his acquiescence, "Just be careful. Make sure you return with either Minato or Kushina." His voice was stern as he warned his son.

"Yes!" Asuma cheered. "Thank you, Minato-san! Thank you! I gotta change my clothes!" He quickly pushed his chair back and ran from the room. Minato ignored the half-smile on his sensei's face as the sage looked at him.

Lady Sarutobi and Hiruzen looked at one another wordlessly, a silent message relaying between them. Finally, Lady Sarutobi nodded, a blush on her cheeks as she could no longer hide the smile. Hiruzen pressed his palms together, resting his chin on his fingertips. "Real reason we invited you over-"

"Ah, yes, I was wondering when you'd get to that," Jiraiya interrupted.

"Bah! Shut your mouth, child," Hiruzen waved his hand in the air. He reached out and grabbed his wife's hand, as his face softening, "Got some good news to share with you."

* * *

Minato walked with Asuma, escorting the young man to the training grounds. It had taken Asuma much longer to change than anticipated, mostly because he couldn't find his "lucky underwear".

"I'm gonna be a strong shinobi! Someday!" Asuma informed his company.

"I bet you will, Asuma. Just keep training, you can do it," the tall, blonde chunin smiled.

"What's it like? Being a chunin? That's all Kushina ever talks about, becoming a chunin," the boy shared.

"Well," Minato thought about an answer he could give that the Hokage's son could understand, "it's much harder than I ever imagined. The missions, that is."

"Are they dangerous?" his eyes were wide.

"You bet," Minato replied, seriously.

"Wow, I bet you're strong," the boy murmured as he walked ahead. He looked around him, "They should be around here somewhere!"

Minato heard the attack before he could see it, instantly grabbing Asuma and leaping high into a tree. Asuma whooped as he was lifted into the air. A loud explosion rang out below as a nearby tree fell to the forest floor. Minato had felt the wobbly mass of concentrated chakra miss his face by inches.

"That was fun, do it again!" the young Sarutobi smiled, his hair in disarray from the speed at which Minato had carried him.

"That wasn't for show, Asuma," Minato crouched down, observing their surroundings. "What _was_ that?"

"Oh, _that_ was Kushina," Asuma answered matter-of-factly. "She's using her chakra blades. It's a variation of Flying Swallow. She's been working on it for a while."

Minato looked at the boy, incredulous that Asuma was _that_ knowledgeable. _He must be grossly neglected at home_, Minato thought. He, for one, was more impressed with the amount of chakra concentrated into that wind attack that had nearly decapitated them.

"Holy shit, Kushina!" someone yelled from below. "You destroyed that tree! No way that is your first time using that attack!"

"I'm still not able to control it properly," they could hear Kushina answer, her voice sounding far-away.

"Hang on, I smell someone over here," came another voice. An animal barked. "Yup, right up this tree. Thanks, Kuromaru. Whoever's there, get your asses down here!"

In a flash of yellow hair, Minato and Asuma reappeared on the ground. Asuma stood on unsteady feet as he was planted back onto solid earth. The three girls stared at the newcomers, none expecting who appeared before them. Minato straightened himself, looking over the genin. One was a disheveled girl with triangular tattoos on her face—indicating that she was an Inuzuka. The medium-sized canine next to her confirmed his theory, and it was currently snarling at him. The other girl had dark hair, pulled back from her face, which held a very sour expression as she evaluated the newcomer. Kushina said nothing, her face pale as she met Minato's eyes as she quickly approached.

"Wow!" Asuma whispered, his head spinning, "That was _fast_!"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kushina's eyes narrowed as she recovered from her initial shock.

"I agreed to escort him here, since that was the only way Hokage-sama would allow him to come," Minato explained as he reached out to grab Asuma's arm before the boy fell on his face. His eyes darted among the girls, before returning to Kushina's face. "You almost killed us," he whispered.

Kushina's face blanched in realization. "I-I'm sorry!"she breathed, as she fell in front of Asuma, looking over him.

"That was awesome, Kushina!" Asuma grinned as he finally steadied himself.

"You have to be more careful, you know! You can't just walk into the forest while we are trainin'. Didn't I tell you how to signal me?"

"Uh huh, like this!" he replied, pulling a smoke bomb from his pocket.

"Don't you ever come this close to the training grounds again!" her voice was stern, yet gentle. "You got that?" she barked. Asuma quietly nodded.

"Killing the Hokage's son, not good," Tsume grunted. Yoshino shook her head in agreement.

Kushina stood, glancing at Minato, "Thanks."

He nodded, "No problem. I'll make sure to come nowhere near here when you are training." A small smile played on his lips.

"I said I'm sorry!" Kushina shot back. "How was I supposed to know you were there?"

"Good thing you have an Inuzuka with you," he indicated the dog, who was still snarling at him.

"Heh, you bet your ass," Tsume grinned, her smile smile wolf-like. She had no idea how she had come into this conversation.

"Good senses," he nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "That'll be useful for the exams."

"Thanks," Tsume scratched her unruly mane, unsure of how to take the praise.

"Can we train now?" Asuma asked excitedly, looking up at his foster sister. Kushina glanced at her partners. They nodded; the three genin had trained enough for one evening. Besides, they were used to the young boy tagging along.

"You betcha," she smiled, giving Asuma a high-five. She caught Minato's movements from the corner of her eye. She glanced at him as he lazily walked back toward the village, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Thanks, again," she forced the words from her mouth. She could feel her cheeks growing hot.

Minato turned slightly, his silhouette visible to Kushina. "Don't mention it. I'm just glad I could help," he waved his hand in the air. He turned away, though pausing before he took a step. "Try keeping your hands steady until the chakra leaves your knives," he offered.

"Say what?" Kushina asked, confused by his sudden, unsolicited advice.

This time, he turned to look at her, "You're releasing your chakra without properly concentrating as it's forming in your blades. That makes your aim unsteady, and you lose accuracy that way." His eyes remained on her face as he spoke.

Kushina's mouth fell open, was Namikaze Minato being _nice to her_? Offering her advice? Before she could say anything in response, he disappeared in another flash of yellow. She blinked, unsure of what she had just seen. He was definitely gone.

"C'mon, Kushina! Tsume and Yoshino, you too!" Asuma waved for them.

Kushina turned around, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the chunin had truly disappeared. _Namikaze Minato is not your friend_! she silently reminded herself. Since her first day in this village, she was certain that he was there to make her life a living hell. Three years wouldn't change someone...would it? Maybe he truly did not remember how mean he had been with her? She tried to shake the conflict from her head. He was her enemy! She hated him! But, he had just given her advice. Wasn't that a form of kindness?

_How had he known about the blades?_ she wondered. _Maybe he really was trying to help. He had been through this exam, after all_. She tried to make sense of his odd behavior, but could not come to a conclusion. She would never understand boys!

She cast one last glance over her shoulder before joining her friends and Asuma. Maybe he did forget, but _she _wouldn't forget how he treated her!

_Damn that boy_, she thought. _Damn him to hell_!

* * *

Minato hadn't entirely left the forest. He perched himself in a tree, crouching low and attempting to clear his head . What was it about this girl? He should have forgotten about her after all these years! He knew that he had been rude to her, he truly did. The first time, it was a bet. A silly, stupid bet between a bunch of young boys, and she had been the one they picked out for him. He hadn't wanted to say _anything _to her, especially considering she was a refugee and had already been through a war. But, he wanted to learn that a new jutsu so badly-enough so, that he had been willing to hurt her feelings for it.

He hadn't ever been mean to anyone in his entire life, and having to do so made him feel terrible. His shiny new jutsu had done nothing to help that horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to apologize many times, but every time he saw her...he just chickened out. He could handle missions and killing, but he couldn't talk to the the feisty red-headed Whirlpool girl?

When she used that Transformation Technique on Jiraiya, he had been impressed. Mostly because it was very well executed and nearly impossible to see through. Any man would most likely fall victim to that trap—especially perverts like Hiruzen and Jiraiya. Minato didn't know why he said what he did, but the words just tumbled from his mouth, carelessly and selfishly. He immediately wanted to curl up and die, more so once she began to yell at him. He could see the pain in her eyes as it told the unspoken story of the horrors she had seen before coming to Konoha. He knew she had run off to cry and he couldn't blame her.

Even Jiraiya told him it wasn't the wisest thing to say. Minato had silently nodded, already knowing _that_ truth.

"Why is it every time I try to talk to her, something mean-spirited comes out?" he had asked his master.

Jiriaya had smiled sadly, looking off into the distance as if in a far-away memory, "Because our brains are intercepting our hearts, Minato. That's the curse of men."

It hadn't been much of an answer. And he never spoke of it to Jiraiya again. Three years had passed since he had erred so grievously. He hadn't even thought of the possibility of seeing her today. Nor did he think of the possibility that seeing her would evoke some odd feeling he couldn't quite place. He couldn't help it, he found something about her so...unique and mysterious.

He could tell _she _remembered _him_. He could tell by the way she stiffened when she was in his presence, as if she was trying to contain herself from punching him. He wouldn't blame her if she did. He deserved it. He sighed from his position, high in the tree canopy-would these thoughts _ever _go away? He needed to preoccupy himself. He _did _have preparations to undergo in order to become a jonin. Maybe that would keep his mind off of the intriguing red-haired girl that took up way too many of his thoughts.


	7. Temporary Replacement

"A _what_?" Kushina asked, shaking her head and blinking furiously. She couldn't have heard _those _words.

Could she?

"A baby," Lady Sarutobi repeated, enunciating each syllable carefully. She found the red-head's reaction endearing.

"One more time for me!" Kushina requested, quickly twisting her forefinger in her ear in a very un-ladylike manner. "I-I don't think I'm hearin' this right!"

"You are hearing me just fine, my dear. I'm pregnant," the brunette smiled, her hand resting on the slightly swollen abdomen hidden by her mauve kimono.

"You are havin' a baby....wow," Kushina exhaled slowly, staring at her feet in awe. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, her head shot up as her blue eyes studied her foster mother. "How long have you known?"

Lady Sarutobi laughed gently. "Well, I've had my suspicions for some time, but I didn't want to get my hopes up," she stared off into the distance, her eyes slightly out of focus. "So I waited. Soon, I couldn't deny the fact that I was with child."

Kushina was honored that Lady Sarutobi considered her important enough to share this information with her. "So, uh, how many days—er, weeks, or whatever?" Kushina gestured toward the woman's stomach, her eyes scrutinizing the bump. _She _didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then again, she hadn't been paying much attention to the goings-on around the household...

"Nearly six months," the Third's wife smiled lovingly. "It's a girl."

Kushina broke into a wide smile--it would be the girl that Lady Sarutobi had always wanted! She was slightly relieved, as it meant less pink clothing that could be pushed onto _her_. The older woman angled her head, looking over Kushina with motherly curiosity. "Kushina?"

"Hmm?" the red-head absentmindedly replied, realizing that the chances of her getting away with more had skyrocketed exponentially.

"You aren't....you aren't worried, are you?"

Kushina's brow furrowed in confusion. "Worried? Me? Nah!" She offered a tiny smile of encouragement. "It's great news, ka-chan!"

Lady Sarutobi chewed her lip in an uncharacteristic manner. "I'm just...worried that you would feel...left out," the pregnant woman tried to explain, feeling slightly relieved at the teen's earlier encouragement.

"Left out?" Kushina echoed, her nose wrinkling in disgust. "You don't leave me alone as it is!" she grinned. As of late, the woman was more motherly than normal. It had been driving Kushina crazy, though now she understood _why. _

Lady Sarutobi's gaze grew more serious, as she reached out and grasped Kushina's calloused hands. The Chunin Exams were in a little less than three months, and she knew that the girl had been training as much as she could. The older woman often remained awake at night, waiting for the comfort of Kushina's footsteps on the stairs as the weary teen returned home to sleep before another early morning of practice. She had no doubt that the Uzumaki heiress would achieve the rank Chunin during this upcoming exam. She inwardly frowned, as that meant more dangerous missions for the girl.

"I don't want you to think that we're going to care about you any less, Kushina. You are like my own daughter," her eyes began to grow misty as she spoke. Kushina felt a slight discomfort at seeing her foster mother become emotional. She decided to chalk it up to hormones.

"I know," Kushina patted her hand. "I'm really happy that you're going to have a daughter. Asuma will be a good older brother," she smiled. "And maybe the old guy won't be a bad dad!"

The pregnant woman smiled softly. "You promise that you'll tell me if you feel like we are neglecting you?"

"Promise," Kushina nodded gravely as a single tear silently streaked down Lady Sarutobi's porcelain cheek. The woman was both elegant and beautiful, even when emotional. Kushina would never admit it, but she secretly hoped that she could be half as graceful as the Hokage's wife when she grew up.

"You are my daughter, Kushina. I know that I will never take your mother's place. Nor will Hiruzen take your father's. But--" tears began run down her face as she spoke, a sob escaping her throat as she pulled the hem of her silken kimono to her face.

"I know, ka-chan," Kushina fell to her knees in front of the pregnant woman. "You don't have to explain. I get it. Really." She felt a slight sadness at the mention of her parents. She still thought of her birth parents each and every day. There would always be an emptiness in her heart that no one could fill, though the Sarutobis had given her the love and warmth she needed to survive that loss.

"You are the only mother I have," she whispered, being uncharacteristically serious. Lady Sarutobi's eyes widened with surprise at Kushina's confession. She leaned down and scooped the red-head into a giant hug.

"Too much!" Kushina yelped, as her face began to turn blue. "Can't....breath..."

Lady Sarutobi laughed as she held Kushina out at arm's length. She examined her adoptive daughter. The Whirlpool kunoichi was turning into a lovely young woman. The older woman couldn't deny she preferred Kushina with longer hair—especially with crimson hair as beautiful as hers. The teen's body was developing into that of a woman's, and soon, she would have to fend off young men with whatever weapon she could find.

"I'm happy we've found one another," Lady Sarutobi whispered, her eyes softening as she pulled a strand of red hair between her fingers, it glistened its golden brilliance in the light.

"Me too," Kushina smiled. Her expression began to fade as her eyes narrowed in mischief.

"Ka-chan?" she hesitated, chewing her lower lip. "If you're pregnant, then that means that you...and the old man...y-you--"

"Well, how else do you think babies are made, Kushina?" Lady Sarutobi answered the intended question with such poise that Kushina felt guilty for her attempted humor.

"I know _that_!" she retorted. "But, why _him_? He's a pervert!" Her face was wrinkled in mock disgust.

The Hokage's wife nodded, a knowing smile on her face. "Sometimes," she whispered as a fond smile pulled at her lips, "I wonder the same thing!"

***

* * *

***

Kushina rushed toward the training grounds. The sun had barely risen, and her eyes were still gritty from sleep. She cursed at the thought of such early sessions, but her team leader preferred morning practices. She wasn't overly fond of the notion, as she never deemed herself a "morning person"--a point that both Ken and Arashi had so eloquently pointed out to her.

Lately, their sensei, Umino Hitoshi, seemed to be more distracted than usual. The three genin had no clue as to why their usually calm and playful leader suddenly became anxious and irritable. He was more reserved--often distracted during their practice, and Kushina was concerned about the team's preparedness for the upcoming exams. There were only about three months left until their fate was determined by the Daimyo Council, and Kushina was more then ready to get the exam over with. She knew she was neglecting her studies, but she could care less about the written exam—it was the second and third parts that she was worried about. Ken shared that notion, while Arashi spent the evenings in the Konoha Library, studying until late in the evening.

Both Kushina and Ken had thought it hilarious when they replaced the pages of Arashi's study books with the inappropriate pictures they had scavenged from the 'Mature' section of the library. She had been scolded numerous times by the librarian for wandering into the forbidden section—eventually leading to their expulsion from the Konoha Library. Despite being banned, she still managed to use her Transformation Technique to sneak back into the stuffy old building. She grinned at the memory of Arashi's face when he opened his book--only to find pages from _1001 Love Making Positions_. The Hyuuga had chased Ken around Konoha for hours, threatening his teammate's life while never once suspecting Kushina's involvement.

She was out of breath as she sprinted toward the open field. Her sensei and teammates were already there, waiting for the arrival of their missing—and often late—member. Ken was sprawled on his back, throwing blades of grass at Arashi as the Hyuuga's lavender eyes scanned the pages of his notebook. Hitoshi was lounging in the tree, his eyes closed as his head slowly jerked upright in an attempt to stay awake.

"S-sorry," she huffed, bending over as she tried to catch her breath. "L-Lady S-S-Sarutobi kept m-me!"

"Not a problem," Hitoshi murmured, his eyes still closed. He yawned loudly.

"'Bout time!" Ken whined. "We've been waiting forever!"

"Shut up, moron!" she replied sternly, kicking him in the ribs.

"Watch it! I'm still tender from yesterday's training!" he grimaced.

"Yeah, yeah, keep whinin'!" she rolled her eyes. She could see Arashi's faint smile as he continued to read. The Hyuuga obviously still blamed Ken for the loss of his precious notes.

"You know, they have a library for that!" she pointed at his book, a sly grin on her face.

"I know, thank you, Kushina. But, I no longer trust the content of _those _books," Arashi murmured, his face turning slightly pink at the reference. "Besides," he continued, "I'm taking advantage of my time, unlike you two."

Ken rolled his eyes, as Kushina suppressed a snort. Ken followed up by sending a rude gesture the Hyuuga's way.

"I saw that," Arashi reprimanded his teammate. Ken's eyes widened in surprise.

"Cool it, you three," Hitoshi snapped as he leaped from the tree. "I want to get you idiots ready for these exams, since you want to enter," his voice came from a new direction. Kushina spun around to find the jonin behind them. Ken sat upright, while Arashi slowly closed his book with a mild sigh.

"Today," their sensei continued, his arms crossed over his chest, "we are going to work on endurance."

"Endurance?" Ken groaned, "Why don't we work on something useful? Like a new jutsu or something?"

Hitoshi cracked his stiff neck, wincing as he straightened his posture. He wore his spiky brown hair pulled back from his face, his hitai-ite tied around his forehead in the traditional fashion. He was a tall man, and Kushina thought he looked thinner than usual.

"Because," their leader sighed, lazily looking over his team. "I have been evaluating your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Before we learn anything new, I want you three to be in maximal shape—both in _speed_. And _endurance_. Your weaknesses."

Ken slumped over, shaking his head and mumbling profanities. Arashi was nodding softly, obviously agreeing with Hitoshi's tactic. Kushina knew that their 'weaknesses' applied to both Kushina and Ken—as the Hyuuga had no difficulty in maintaining his stamina. She felt herself fall into a pit of despair: they would never be ready for the exams!

"Sensei?" she began, unusually respectful. He raised an eyebrow as he awaited her question. She sucked in a deep breath, wringing her hands anxiously. "Do you think we'll be good enough?"

He thought about her question, noting the concern written on her face. Hitoshi suddenly felt sorry for the young girl. He had been their team leader for some time now, so it was obvious to him that she had some silent drive to prove herself to the village that had taken in the Whirlpool refuge. He smiled his encouragement, "My team will be ready. No doubt about it, Uzumaki."

She smiled weakly, despite her teacher's triumphant words. No matter how much they trained, she always felt so _helpless _and _weak_. She had been working hard on her Flying Swallow Technique's variation. Kushina hated to admit it, but that Namikaze boy had been correct in his evaluation of her flaw in using the technique. She didn't think she had mastered it enough to name it just yet, but maybe in time....

"Ok, I'll make you kids a deal," Hitoshi's expression was a mixture of seriousness and amusement. "If you do the best you can today, I'll promise to work with each of you to develop a new tech—"

He suddenly stiffened. Kushina felt the presence as well. It was slightly familiar, though she couldn't name the bearer. She glanced at Arashi and Ken—the former gazing at the ground while Ken looked around in confusion. Suddenly, a dark-haired man with messy black hair and dark eyes slowly walked toward them. He was wearing a jonin vest, his hands shoved in his pocket as he wore a grim expression.

"Hagane," Hitoshi nodded at the man, a long-time friend of his. Kushina thought the newcomer was rather cute, and felt a slight blush creeping across her face. _Quit having thoughts like this! What's wrong with you, dammit?_

The dark-haired man with unruly hair looked around the group, nodding his acknowledgment. He leaned into their sensei, his voice low. She ached to hear what they were saying, but settled with turning an ear in their direction, despite knowing it was rude to eavesdrop. She watched Hitoshi's eyes widen as his posture became rigid. The two men exchanged hushed words.

"...Lady Hatake....ill...."

"..he has a young son..Kakashi...prodigy of a kid..."

"....she passed away....sometime during the night..."

"...I see..."

Their sensei's face had become ashen.

"...you are his friend.....thought maybe you'd like to know....see him..."

"...send someone to keep your team busy...."

Hitoshi nodded before the Hagane man disappeared in a blur of black, leaving the young genin in silent confusion. Team Five's leader stood there for some time, silently staring into the nothingness around them. Ken opened his mouth to speak, but Kushina sent him a fiery glance as she softly shook her head in warning. She knew that Arashi, at least, would not be so bold as to say anything without knowing the circumstances surrounding the odd occurrence they had witnessed.

"Sensei?" Kushina softly spoke. "Are you alright? Is everything OK?"

Hitoshi blinked before focusing on the young red-head before him. "Oh...y-yeah," his voice was far-away. "I have...er, I have s-something to take care of," he cleared his throat.

"Is it bad?" she asked, her voice steady so as not to upset the jonin.

"Yeah, yeah it is," he confirmed, licking his lips.

"What is it?" Ken blurted, as Kushina glared at him.

"Nothing you three should be concerned with," Hitoshi replied, his voice filled with sadness. Ken said nothing, realizing the brevity of whatever the newcomer had said to their leader. Arashi remained silent as his pale eyes continued to scan the blades of grass around him.

Kushina shifted from one foot to another. "Well, if we have to postpone our training, we understand," she couldn't contain the disappointment in her voice, despite knowing that something terrible had happened to their sensei's friend.

"Oh. Yes, Thank you, you guys," he smiled sadly. "But, that won't be necessary. Someone else will fill on for me. For today, that is."

"Huh?" Ken asked, scratching his head. "We don't want some old stiff fillin' in for you. Unless it's some hot woman!"

Kushina couldn't control her impatience as she swung, hitting Ken on the shoulder. "Can't you see it's something serious?" she growled as her blue eyes flashed angrily. Ken rubbed his injured arm, returning her steely gaze with equal intensity.

"Quit it, you two," Arashi murmured. "Sensei is obviously affected by this. It's not time for childish antics."

"Shut up!" both snapped in unison at the Hyuuga.

"Who died and made you boss?" Kushina barked. Arashi shrugged, once again opening his book. He was not easily goaded, which was probably to Kushina's benefit at the moment.

Hitoshi remained silent during his team's tirade, his own thoughts wandering. His head shot up as he felt another presence. Only Arashi seemed to notice, as Kushina and Ken were making faces at one another whilst bickering like children. The lavender-eyed youth closed his book, standing as their temporary leader approached the training grounds.

The newcomer held a book in front of his face, reading intently as he approached the three young genin and their sensei. "Team Five?" he called out, his face still hidden by the book.

Kushina turned around, realizing that someone had approached. Ken leaped to his feet as well. He grinned as the red-head's face turned white.

"Minato!" Hitoshi grinned as he slapped the young man on the back. "Congratulations on your promotion, man! Or should I be calling you 'Flash' now?"

"Thank you," the blonde grinned back. He closed his book with a snap of his wrist, tucking it away. "And I don't know how I received _that _nickname."

"Oh come on! You damn well know that your speed is unmatched. Makes me feel pathetic as an older man to be bested by a boy! " Team Five's leader patted the younger man on his shoulder. "You are one of the youngest jonin the village has ever seen! And probably the best that we've ever had."

"Would have been younger had I not traveled with Jiraiya for all those years!" Minato laughed deeply, scratching his unruly head of blond hair.

Ken elbowed Kushina as he barely contained his mirth, "Friend of yours, isn't he?"

She glared at Ken. She could see Arashi grinning from the corner of her eye. "You two are dead."

"Aww come on, don't you think he's dreamy like every other girl in this village?" Ken stuck out his tongue in disgust. "I just don't get it. What's so great about him?"

"Maybe it's his eyes," Arashi added, a rare display from the often serious young man.

"I'm going to kill both of you, I swear!" Kushina spat, as she glanced at Minato. _There's no way my luck can be this bad! _She hadn't known he had been promoted to a jonin. How could this happen? To her? Today? She suddenly wanted to shrivel up and die. She did not want to have to acknowledge him—her self-proclaimed enemy—as her superior. He would be training her, assessing her abilities and flaws. It was an intimacy that she did not want to be a part of. All she wanted to do was to punch the smile off of his face.

He was too caught up in his conversation with Hitoshi to notice the three genin watching the jonins' exchange. "Seems like it was just yesterday that I was a genin," Minato grinned.

"Because it _was _yesterday you were a genin!" Hitoshi joked. "You keep it up and you'll be Kage in no time!"

_No way he'll ever become Hokage,_ Kushina inwardly seethed. _Over my dead body_!

Minato dropped his head, "That'd be a great honor. But, I'm not good enough for such praise, Hitoshi-san."

"Don't use formalities on me, boy! We are the same rank, you know!" Hitoshi smiled. "Besides, I hear you can summon Jiraiya's toads. You going to follow in his footsteps and become a sage, as well?"

Minato laughed nervously, "Do people talk about me that much? It's embarrassing!"

"Prodigies don't come around often," Hitoshi nodded gravely.

"Speaking of potential prodigies, how's your wife doing with the pregnancy?" Minato studied the jonin with anticipation as he changed the subject.

The three genin looked at one another in wide-eyed surprise. None of them had known that Lady Umino was pregnant. _That_ would explain his sudden anxiety and weight loss—he was a nervous soon-to-be dad!

"I'll be damned," Ken whistled under his breath. Both Kushina and Arashi nodded at the brief statement--a rare display of agreement from Team Five.

"I haven't told too many people yet," the team leader scratched his head. "She's doin' fine, just sick every morning. I worry about her," he confessed.

"I bet you do," Minato nodded seriously. "But you'll make a fine father, Hitoshi."

"Thanks, Minato!" Hitoshi grinned. "So I hear you've got every available young lady in this village interested in you."

Minato's face turned bright red. "I-I, uh...who told you that?" he groaned.

Their team leader slapped the young man on the back. "Enjoy it! Once you get married, it's all over!" he joked. He leaned over, his voice barely above a whisper, "So, are you interested in anyone?"

The new jonin's face was still crimson as his opened and closed his mouth in embarrassment. Kushina realized that she was leaning toward them, hoping to hear his answer. She quickly straightened, hoping her teammates hadn't seen the move.

"You have a cruuush on the Namikaze, dontcha, Kushina?" Ken teased under his breath.

"Your balls," she hissed, "will be in a display jar for all of Konoha to see if you don't shut your mouth, asshole!" Ken's face lost all color as his mouth snapped shut.

"I'm...I'm not really interested in anyone, no," Minato muttered, as he nervously shifted on his feet. He was not enjoying knowing that there was gossip in the village..about him!

Kushina felt a sudden rush of relief. She didn't want to see some poor woman stuck with that pig of a boy! She had missed the next few exchanges, as she was so lost in her thoughts. When she came around, she realized that the conversation had suddenly become serious.

"Thanks for doing this. Really, Minato," Hitoshi glanced at the ground.

"He's your best friend; he's going to need you. Besides," the blonde replied seriously, "he's got a young boy to raise on his own now."

"Tragedy," Hitoshi nodded. "But," he looked at the sky, "I gotta get going. Thanks again, Namikaze!" With that, Team Five's leader disappeared, leaving the new jonin with the three genin.

Ken decided to speak up, obviously intrigued by the man, "So you're going to train us today?"

Minato turned toward them as if he had forgotten they were there. His eyes fell on the young taijutsu specialist before traveling to the girl next to him. He immediately blanched when he saw Kushina. She had prepared her icy blue glare just for him. He said nothing, though she was sure she could see his jaw muscles stiffen. She felt slightly triumphant at her success at making him uncomfortable. She was going to have fun making his life miserable for the next few hours.

"I suppose we should go through introductions," Minato smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Introductions? Why? We know one another!" Kushina argued as she waved her hand in the air, dismissing his suggestion.

"Well, uh, because it's proper. Besides, I don't really _know _you," he pointed out. "And I don't _know_ your teammates. If I'm going to help you three for the Chunin Exams, I should at least understand you," he explained, the wide smile still on his face. "I've been there, remember?"

"Sounds reasonable," Arashi answered softly. He liked the newcomer. Kushina inwardly groaned. She didn't wan to share anything with the blonde-haired jonin!

"Good! Then how about we introduce ourselves, tell our likes and dislikes, and what we want to gain from becoming a shinobi," Minato nodded, smiling at the young Hyuuga.

"Right!" Ken grinned. "Then what?"

"Then," Minato pulled two tiny instruments from his pocket. They made a slight tinkling sound as the rising sunlight danced on their surface. "We try, what I like to call, The Bell Test."

*****

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*~*~*

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, we're getting close to some action (not _that _action!). Sorry it took so long to update, but it's the best I can do since I'm technically living in an operating room for two months :)**

** I do want to point out that I do not know exact timelines or certain circumstances, so please be understanding :D I'll use my own discretion (like I won't make Kushina more powerful than Minato, duh!). I'm using the freedom I have with plot for my story. If you have any suggestions or anything you want to see--feel free to PM me. I'll see what I can do :)**

**Thank you to everyone who has added, read, and/or reviewed. You are all most definitely wonderful (_especially_****my self-proclaimed Naruteers!). All of you make my incredibly crappy week that much better ^_^  
**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto or the characters. Just experimentin' with plot.


	8. Teamwork's Plight

Ken and Kushina wearily stumbled from the brush, their faces littered with scratches and dirt. Kushina's arm was draped over her teammate's shoulder as she limped, putting most of her weight on the ankle that wasn't swollen and turning a slight purple. It wasn't broken—just most likely sprained from a careless attempt to dodge an attack by their fill-in jonin instructor. Just another reason for her to dislike the blonde-haired boy, she concluded.

"Hey, Arashi! I see _you're _in fine shape!" Ken grumbled as he helped his red-headed companion lower herself to the ground.

Kushina winced at the movement, slowly pulling tape from her pouch and wrapping it around her throbbing ankle. She quickly glanced toward the other person in the field—their dark-haired Hyuuga teammate. Arashi remained stone-faced as he sat, cross-legged, in quiet contemplation. His eyes were closed as he meditated, ignoring his approaching comrades and their less-than-favorable condition.

Ken only grew angrier at his teammate's haughtiness. "Probably just sat here studying--"

"Actually, I had encountered Minato-sensei on a few occasions. I was no match for him," he opened his pale eyes slightly, taking in the outward appearance of his two peers. "And apparently neither were you." Both Ken and Kushina's faces reddened at the Hyuuga's words.

"No shit," Kushina muttered as she took her anger out on a thick clump of grass. _Like I need reminded that I'm weak! _she thought vehemently. She knew that they had a long way to go before they were ready for the Chunin Exams, though she would never admit it aloud.

"Perhaps if we would have worked as a cohesive unit, like I had suggested, the task may have been simpler," Arashi countered calmly.

"Easy for you to say, you just get in the damned way and try to show off," Ken spat, his fists clenching at his sides. While he liked Arashi, he did not consider them _friends_. He felt the Hyuuga was both arrogant and self-centered. On his own accord, he could contribute to the team's harmony, but most of the time he remained quiet and aloof.

"Unlike you two, I am able to realize when I am outmatched. It's a simple conclusion gained from a few moments of analyzing the opponent. You two, however, charge in like a bunch of aimless twits."

"Twits?" Ken repeated, the vein on his head bulging. "Who are you calling a twit, you deadweight!" He took a menacing step toward his teammate.

Arashi quickly stood, his eyes flashing their own unbridled anger. "This is exactly why I asked the Hokage to find me a new team--" the lavender-eyed youth began, his hair whipping around his face. Kushina could see the deep scratches in his neck.

_So, he had been injured as well. He just chooses not to complain about it, _she analyzed her teammate. Perhaps she could do with a little less complaining and a little more determination as well....

"Oh, _that_ would be the day! I would celebrate if that would hap--" Ken declared as he quickly brandished a kunai. The sunlight glinted off of of the blade as the ring twirled around his forefinger. He quickly wrapped his fingers around the tiny instrument, ready to strike the Hyuuga.

"ENOUGH! Both of you!" Kushina growled as she leaped onto her good ankle. She thrust her hands onto her hips, blue eyes glaring at both teammates.

"You two are acting like a bunch of children! Arashi is right, this was obviously a test for us to work together. There is no way any one of us could defeat that Namikaze. That much is fact. There's no use of either of you throwing a damned fit over it! Put your egos back where you found them, you morons."

"Morons?" the two boys yelled in unison, momentarily forgetting their hostilities.

Kushina scoffed. "We are obviously not able to work together...c'mon isn't that much obvious? Instead of arguing, maybe we should find a way to fix the problem! We won't pass the Chunin Exams if we fight like_ this_!" Both Ken and Arashi fell silent: Ken kicked the earth at his feet while Arashi looked to his right, chewing his lip in sullen anger.

"And what's _worse_," Kushina continued, her icy blue stare on Arashi, "is that you have a problem with the team and you run to the Hokage instead of addressing _us_. That's despicable, in my eyes." Kushina shook her head as she continued, "A true Shinobi is not afraid to face his problems. If we are your problem, then you should face us!"

"She's right," Ken answered softly, though he did not meet his comrades' surprised gazes. "We don't work together as we should. Our strengths are supposed to be complementary, right?"

Arashi said nothing, hanging his head in shame. Ken glanced at Kushina, who had triumphantly plopped down on the grass and was once again nursing her sore, swollen ankle. She looked up at the Hyuuga, her voice and face softening.

"You could have told us you were unhappy, you know. I--" she cast a warning glare at Ken, "consider you a friend."

Arashi's head shot up, as he stared at her through widened lavender eyes. He was not expecting a proclamation of friendship from the clumsy and tomboyish kunoichi. She was never serious, and always ready to play pranks--something he could not relate to. No, never in a million years would he have expected anyone to consider him as such.

"Friend?" he whispered the word as if it were a foreign language. Arashi was surprised to find that it rolled off of his tongue with ease. He glanced at Ken, who nodded curtly. He, too, seemed to agree with the red-haired girl, though somewhat unwillingly.

Arashi was used to being ignored and belittled as a member of the Hyuuga's Branch Clan. The mark on his forehead—which he diligently kept covered—reminded him of his stead in the prominent family. He could be killed at any time--at any Head member's will. All they had to do was make the hand signs. He was nothing more than a tool. Not even his own cousins considered him worthy of _friendship. _It was that same notion that made him strive to be noticed—to be accepted as a valuable necessity to the clan. If he were important enough, perhaps they would acknowledge his skill. It was Arashi's father's dying wish—to abolish the restrictions and alienation cast onto the Branch Family.

"Arashi?" Kushina whispered softly, breaking the Hyuuga's concentration. He blinked a few times, as his eyes passed over Ken and Kushina. He smiled slightly, his conviction set in his eyes as he quietly reached up and unhooked the hitai'ite on his forehead. The protector fell swiftly to the ground, the long fabric arms fluttering in the breeze as it descended.

"What the--" Ken mumbled under his breath, his eyes bulging from his head. He could hear Kushina's sharp intake of breath. She, too, was obviously surprised by what she was seeing.

"It is a Cursed Seal," Arashi explained calmly, his eyes closed. "It marks my ranks within my family. I am to be used as a weapon, at the Head Family's whims. When I am no longer of use, I can be cast aside. It's a sign of my worthlessness." His face was ashen as he explained the ways of his clan, skimming over intricate details that he knew his two teammates would never understand.

"They mark their own members?" Kushina's eyes were wide with surprise. She understood all to well what it was like to be considered inferior by others. She had that same, distinct feeling as a refugee of war, coming to seek shelter in the Leaf Village.

"It prevents me from learning secrets that only the Head Clan knows, as well as provides a visible reminder of my rank."

"How cruel," Kushina whispered, her own hand absentmindedly tracing the soft skin on her forehead. She could never look at herself with that mark etched across her face...how did he?

"It is our custom," Arashi bowed slightly, taken aback by their quiet acceptance. He expected them to cringe, casting him aside as do many of the Head Family. Most did not even acknowledge his presence, including his twin cousins—the flesh and blood of his uncle's brother. Hizashi was part of the Branch Clan, but he refused to associate with other members of his rank. There had been rumors, however, of a revolt forming between the families.

"That explains the inferiority complex," Ken murmured to Kushina, in attempt to break the heavy silence surrounding them.

"I can hear you," Arashi shot back, quickly using his foot to kick his forehead protector into the air as he grabbed it with a free hand.

Kushina shook her head in silent awe. "Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"I don't speak of it. I have to accept it as my life. My only goal is to become a worthy clan member--"

"So they keep you around?" Kushina summed up his forthcoming explanation. Arashi nodded as he quickly tied the hitai'ite around his head, once again concealing the mark.

"So you're an asshole _and _a reject," Ken folded his arms over his chest, a smug smile on his face.

"Ken, you idiot!" Kushina hissed, as she punched him in the thigh. He fell to the ground, howling in pain.

A slight smile crossed Arashi's lips. He had never considered his teammates as anything more than acquaintances, and was quite upset when the Hokage refused his request to transfer to another team.

"That explains all the studying," Kushina nodded toward the backpack that Arashi constantly carried. "You definitely have something to prove."

"As do you," he replied knowingly. Kushina felt her face turn pink at his innuendo. It seemed he understood her drive to become stronger and accepted as someone other than the Whirlpool-brat-taken-in-by-the-Hokage.

"Hmph," she grunted. Her face suddenly lightened, a small smile pulling at her lips. "Stay," she whispered, reaching out an upturned palm.

"Huh?" Ken asked, rubbing his leg. The lump was slowly subsiding. Arashi's face paled as he understood the kunoichi's request.

"Stay with us! We may be two pains in the asses, but we're a team, right?" she grinned, as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Shinobi don't give up on on one another!"

Ken stared at her, his mouth hanging open. She glanced at him before her gaze returned to their aloof teammate. He understood her silent message: they had been neglecting Arashi's feelings! Both Kushina and Ken hadn't been the best at making Arashi feel like a part of the team, neither ever asking him if he wanted to eat lunch together or spend an evening wreaking havoc on the village. It never occurred to them that the Hyuuga may _want _to partake in any of that.

"Oh, uh, yeah, what she said," Ken gruffly told Arashi. "You aren't so bad, I guess."

Kushina thought she could see Arashi's barrier crumble a little. She smiled at her two teammates, looking from one to the other. "So, what do you think we could have done to get those stupid bells from the bastard?" Kushina asked in sudden good humor.

"Well," Arashi replied, as he nimbly lowered himself to the ground—this time closer to the duo, "I could have tracked his movements with my Byakugan."

"That'd have been nice," Ken grumbled, "I couldn't find him half the time. The other half he popped up behind me, scaring the shit out of me. I think I actually pissed my pants a little."

Kushina made a face, and even Arashi cracked a smile. "Well, he was scary!" Ken insisted.

"He's a prodigy," Arashi informed them solemnly. "From what I've gathered around the village, he was quickly passed through the Academy, mostly with flying colors."

_No surprise there, _Kushina thought mildly.

"...Would have become a chunin and jonin earlier, but his travels with Jiraiya kept him from that, though he is more than qualified. Spent some time training with the toads, as well."

"Forgot to add that every freakin' hormone-filled girl within a twenty kilometer radius is in love with him. All googly-eyed and shit," Ken grumbled.

"Ah, yes, I think I heard that as well," Arashi's tone was serious.

Kushina could feel her thoughts turn dark. _How could anyone want to be with that arrogant bastard? _

"Kushina, here," Ken interrupted her thoughts, "may have at least deterred some of the more vain ones."

"Eh?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, suddenly flustered. What did _that_ mean?

"You slashed his face, remember? That's gonna leave a nice scar," Ken laughed at the memory as he drew his finger across his cheekbone.

"You were able to land a hit on him?" Arashi was suddenly interested. He had been unable to do so, even with his Gentle Fist.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. More luck than anything," Kushina felt her face turn red. Her ears burned, and she was sure they matched her hair color.

"With my Byakugan and your speed, perhaps we could have retrieved those bells," Arashi nodded, as his eyes became slightly unfocused.

"Shoulda seen her," Ken continued, "he said something to really piss her off, and she suddenly transformed into this hot babe!"

"Oh, not _that_," Arashi moaned. "Is _that _how you distracted him?"

He knew her Sexy Jutsu all too well. He had been unwillingly exposed to it the first day they formed their new team. She had used it to reel in their sensei—successfully giving the jonin a nosebleed. Arashi had been impressed with the clarity of her transformation, though he was not as enthused about the perversion of such a technique.

"It was _hot_!" Ken smirked, his eyes slowly glazing over.

"Quit bein' a pervert!" Kushina hissed, slapping him in the back of his head.

"Hey, _you _used it!" Ken countered.

"I was desperate! I needed to distract him somehow!" she yelped.

"Did it...work?" Arashi licked his lips, almost afraid to hear the answer. Could such a basic and perverse jutsu truly take on such a strong prodigious jonin?

"Not at first," Ken admitted, grinning from ear-to-ear. They Hyuuga raised an eyebrow as Kushina's face turned more crimson. "But when she summoned three more, that kinda did him in for a split second. Long enough that I could lay down my explosive tags without him noticing."

"Such a basic trap," Arashi contemplated, tapping his chin in slight amusement. "To attack one's sense of attraction.

"But effective when executed," the weapons specialist pointed out in affirmation.

Kushina's face was buried in her hands. She had been silently screaming to avoid that technique at all costs around the Namikaze—as she vividly remembered his reaction the last time she used it. Granted, that was three years ago, and he was most likely more hormone-driven than before, but it was still immature for an up-and-coming chunin, especially one that wanted to be taken seriously. She groaned as she remembered Minato's reaction. His eyes had widened as he was surrounded by the attentive clones, his ears even turning red as he uncomfortably pushed their hands off of him. Once Kushina knew Ken had laid his trap, she allowed her Shadow Clones to disappear in a puff of smoke.

"Continue," Arashi urged suddenly interested in events he was not present for.

"Well, once Kushina removed her clones and Minato attempted to move, he was instantly trapped in my Explosive Prison."

Ken had been proud of that technique. Once someone was trapped in the perimeter Ken set, any movement would signal for the release of thousands of thin, chakra infused wires that would surround the unlucky victim. Once surrounded, the prisoner was not free to move, as each string was attached to one of the set explosive tags.

"He fell for it?" The Hyuuga spoke mostly to himself.

"Well, _of course _he did. He was all flustered from being hand-raped by Kushina's clones," Ken smiled at Kushina's reaction.

"Shut up shut up shut up!" she groaned, pulling her knees to her chest. She could still remember the smell of Minato and the texture of his skin—something her clones had given her upon their disintegration. Arashi looked from one to the other, waiting expectantly for the rest of the story.

Ken shrugged, "Anyhow, he obviously hadn't been expecting it. Kushina whipped out one of her blades, hoping to catch him off-guard before he could teleport like he usually did."

"Ah, he is very gifted in his Teleportation Jutsu," Arashi recalled the speed at which Minato could propel himself. It was worthy of admiration, he concluded.

"Well, she threw her Chakra Blade at him, nearly hitting him in the face. His movement was enough to set off the explosion—which you probably heard," the boy grinned in accomplishment.

"I did," Arashi smirked. "Nice job, Ken."

"Thanks!" Ken's chest puffed out in pride. "But, when the smoke cleared, he was gone. Ended up, he was behind me. Said somethin' to Kushina to piss her off, and she somehow cut him without throwing the second blade." Ken shook his head, "Still not sure how she did it."

Both boys looked at Kushina in expectation. She nervously glanced at them, before sighing. "I just concentrated my chakra into the blade, which allows me to cut without actually coming in contact with someone. It's also apparently invisible, though there is a lag from my movement until the attack hits my target."

Arashi's eyes widened. He knew that, when executed effectively, such a technique could be a matter of life or death. _She has a range in which those blades can slice without actually coming int contact with her intended target_? _And in a manner in which her victim cannot see the attack? Amazing! She has grown stronger! _

Ken shook his head in awe, his smile plastered to his face. "Son of a bitch, you could have killed me?"

"Eh, maybe," she mumbled, falling onto her back so that she could stare at the sky.

"Anyway," Ken scoffed, "she cut the damned bastard in the face. From the looks of it, even he was not expecting it! He teleported out of there when she came back with her other blade. I suspect he knew two were more dangerous than one!"

Kushina was ignoring the conversation-at-hand; her mind wandered as she thought about her wind blades. She had been working on her chakra precision ever since Minato had given her advice in the forest. She would never admit it, but he had been right about the flaws of her technique. If she collected the chakra definitively into her hands first, she was able to attack with astonishing accuracy, to the point that she could slice a single hair on a person's head.

She had quickly flicked her wrist, as she charged around him in a wide arc. He had been taken off-guard by her miscellaneous attack, and even more so as the soft skin on his cheek split from the invisible chakra blade that nicked him. She hadn't' put as much effort into her attack as she thought she would, only leaving a superficial wound. But, she knew that if she had really wanted to, she could decapitate a person with an effortless movement of her wrist. It was a splendid ability, to be able to attack from a distance while doing nothing more than amplifying the wave arc of her blade movements. The enemy would never know what hit them, until it was too late.

"Though I think Kushina was takin' it kinda easy on him," Ken announced, his story coming to an end.

"I don't want to kill him!" she protested, squeezing her eyes shut. "We're only after those damned bells, anyway!"

"But Minato-sensei said the only way to get them was to come at him with the intent to kill," Arashi attempted to argue.

"Oh, so he's _Minato-sensei_, now?" Ken cooed, batting his eyelashes at no one in particular as he mocked his teammate.

Arashi's face turned red, and even Kushina snorted. It was like Ken to make any serious conversation falter. "He's deserving of respect, even if he's only a year or two our senior."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure," Ken shrugged. "Minato-sensei, I love you!" He danced around, waving his hands and impersonating an increasingly-angry Arashi.

Kushina sat upright, clutching her stomach as the Hyuuga chased Ken around the field. She was still laughing when both boys came to a sudden halt—realizing that the trio was no longer alone. Minato was leaning against a tree with his arms folded across his chest, his eyes were closed as his head was bent forward.

"Minato-sensei!" Ken bowed, his ears turning red as Arashi scoffed.

"You three seem to be having fun. That was not the intent of my exercise. Who said we were done?" His tone was sharp, but Kushina did not detect any real anger. She glanced at her teammates, hoping that one of them could give an answer.

"But y-you said we had until n-noon," Ken spoke softly. "It's nearly one o'clock."

"Really?" Minato asked, glancing at his wrist. "I guess you're right." He pushed himself away from the tree, slowly walking toward them. He waved his hand, "Sit, you two!"

Arashi and Ken immediately planted themselves next to Kushina. Minato looked over them, his eyes cold and cruel—something Kushina had never witnessed in Minato. He suddenly looked like a man who had seen much violence.

"You three have failed. Miserably," he murmured, his finger brushing the angry wound on his cheek. His eyes quickly flitted over Kushina as he did so. "Not only did you _not_ work together, your chakras are half-assed and dangerous!"

"What?" Kushina barked. "We have been working for weeks! We are training as much as we can--"

"It's no good," Minato spoke softly, his eyes piercing Kushina's icy blue ones. "You will never become chunin at this rate."

"How dare you!" Kushina jumped to her feet.

"You used an erotic Transformation Technique on me," Minato murmured. "Despite my appearance, it was not enough to distract me from the fact that Ken had placed explosive tags around the forest. Any shinobi would be able to see that attack."

"I did _that _didn't I?" Kushina angrily pointed at his cheek.

"This?" he ran his finger along the length of the scratch, dragging fresh blood over his cheek. "Yes, I suppose you did get me with this one. I didn't expect such an elementary attack."

"Elementary? _Elementary_?" Kushina hissed.

"Oh no," Ken whispered to Arashi, "She's gonna get irrational."

"No one else had been able to lay a blow on you!" she countered.

Minato's mouth formed a lop-sided grin, "So you took my advice, did you?"

"Also—huh?" Kushina managed to stop her barrage of forthcoming profanities and insults.

"When I told you to focus your chakra...you listened to me. I'll admit, I didn't expect you to so quickly grasp that ability."

Kushina's arm dropped to her side. She didn't know if he was complimenting her or proud that he had been right about her technique error. "Wait, what?"

"I'm saying that you have potential, Kushina. I'm not trying to be hard on any one of you. I've been through this exam. I want to help. So, maybe instead of attacking my suggestions and critiques, you should listen."

"I think that's reasonable," Arashi conceded, as he glanced up at Kushina . Her mouth hung open as her face reddened. Were her former prejudices clouding her judgment _that _much? She suddenly felt ashamed of her actions. She quietly took a seat next to the Hyuuga.

"That's better," he glanced around the small group, grinning widely.

"Now, Arashi, let's start with you," Minato nodded. "Your precision is amazing, and your astuteness lethal. You need to work with your teammates more, relying on them and trusting them. That is something you'll need to work on as a group. I think it wouldn't hurt to try and get a little more range out of your Byakugan. I've heard of Branch members who could see for a five kilometer radius."

Arashi's eyes widened at the 'Branch' reference—had the blonde jonin been spying on them?

"Ken," Minato's eyes fell on the dark-haired boy. "You are clumsy with your scrolls, and the hesitation is enough to cause you harm. Any enemy will take advantage of those few seconds. Your physical chakra is well above average for a Taijutsu user. I'm going to give you an exercise to control that more while developing your spiritual supply. This way, it'll help with your aim and accuracy when using long-distance combat. Of the three, you were the closest to even touching a bell."

Ken grinned at the praise.

"Now Kushina," Minato's voice had risen slightly, though his eyes looked over her head. She glanced behind her, confused as to why he wasn't looking directly _at_ her. "_Your_ spiritual chakra is sub par, at best. I think that is why you cannot perform a basic Bunshinjutsu--"

"What the hell?" she cried, suddenly angry at the difference in attitude toward her versus her teammates.

Minato held up a hand. "Let me finish, please."

Kushina's mouth snapped shut in frustration. Minato nodded, "But, the fact that you can create Shadow Clones—and in a decent number—is something most jonin can't perform satisfactorily. That tells me that your physical chakra is amazing, and you should favor that while trying to increase your spiritual chakra. You were able to land a mark on me, yes," his hand wandered to his stinging cheek. "Your precision and control has improved drastically. That sort of progress is promising, Kushina."

The red-head's hands began to tremble at the praise he was giving her. She hadn't expected Namikaze Minato to be so.._nice! _

"These exercises can help your accuracy as well. You are deadly with those blades, and your technique—once mastered—can be applied to any physical weapon, in most cases. You'll be one hell of a kunoichi. But, you cannot always rely on weapons, and it may not be a bad idea to consider learning other wind-based jutsus as well—in the case your weapons fail you or you are caught without one."

Kushina remained silent, her ears burning as he refused to meet her gaze. She did not want to acknowledge him as her superior, but part of her knew he was genuinely trying to help them become stronger. Maybe his reason for hounding her during the exercise was so that he could better assess her abilities and weaknesses. Kushina could see Arashi and Ken passing confused glances at one another—most likely wondering why the jonin was spending so much time speaking to Kushina.

Minato's arms were once again crossed over his chest as he spoke to them as a group. "As I said earlier, I am only trying to help, as a one former chunin to three future ones," he smiled slightly. "This exam will test your abilities in any and every way possible, and the best thing you can do is be prepared. But, in order to do so, you should master your chakra flows and be able to precisely control them. For the most part, this team lacks cohesion, and that should be your number one priority. Secondly, I want you three to take my exercises seriously. I'll leave you with an exercise that you will undergo for the remainder of the day, is that understood?"

"Yes," all three murmured in unison, suddenly aware that there was more work ahead. Kushina inwardly groaned, her ankle was _killing _her!

"I'm new to this jonin stuff, so I won't yell or berate you—unlike others. But, you failed the test horribly, and I am dissatisfied, to say the least. I will be sharing that with Hitoshi—erm, your instructor, as well."

All three groaned. Umino-sensei would _not _be happy about their performance.

"What is our exercise?" Arashi asked what his teammates were thinking.

"Good enthusiasm, Arashi," Minato smiled. "I want you to concentrate your chakra into your feet, and walk up those trees." His explanation was so simple that the three were unsure as to whether or not the blonde was joking.

"Walk up trees?" Kushina blurted. She had never heard anything so ridiculous!

"Like so," Minato demonstrated, effortlessly focusing his chakra into his feet. He strode to the nearest tree, easily walking up the trunk and onto an overhanging limb.

"Badass," Ken whispered under his breath.

"It looks fairly easy enough," Kushina murmured.

"It's not as easy as it looks," Minato countered. "It took me a few days to grasp it. But, once you do, you will quickly improve in your techniques and precision. I think you'll find it vital to your growth as shinobi." He quickly disbanded from the branch, nimbly landing on his feet, a hundred feet or so below.

Kushina inwardly cringed, her ankle throbbed at the thought of the effort. Could it really be _that _difficult?

"Now, any questions before I leave you three?" Minato glanced over the trio. All heads shook in unison.

"Good. Best of luck to you. Your sensei will return tomorrow, so this is it for me," he smiled widely as he thrust out his thumb in encouragement. "See ya!"

Ken was the first to stand, pulling out a kunai to mark his success. Kushina glanced up into the foreboding canopy. She could hear Arashi and Ken as their feet hit the tree trunk at a running speed. Ken landed on his back with a loud thud, cursing at the tree with a mouthful of vehement profanities. Arashi remained silent, as he concentrated his chakra for a second attempt. Kushina pulled out a kunai, feeling the familiar ring slide around her finger before she grasped it in her hand. She closed her eyes, willing her chakra to her feet. She could feel a slight pulsation as the energy pooled around her lower limbs. She felt refreshed when she opened her blue eyes.

_How difficult could this be? _she inwardly scoffed to herself. It _looked_ easy enough. She wasn't going to let Namikaze Minato get the best of her, even if he had far surpassed her in skill. He had made it apparent that she had grown since they had last met, and she wanted to keep that trend going. Someday, she would be a strong kunoichi--the strongest in the village. She would be a source of pride to the Leaf.

With a quick smirk of confidence, she charged toward the trunk at full speed. Kushina would soon find out just how much she had to learn.

*****

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**Hello to everyone! Thanks for reading/adding/reviewing! I appreciate all of your comments :)**

**I'm saving some action for the Chunin Exams, so expect a good amount of it there!! I wanted to illustrate the growth we'll see in the team.  
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**Enjoy & Happy Reading!  
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	9. Bribery and Accomplishment

Umino Hitoshi stared high into the trees, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He could hear the shouts of frustration and agony as his pupils marked their meager triumphs before clumsily falling to the ground. There, they put themselves together again before preparing for another blow to their confidence. Bit by bit, they slowly inched their way up the thick trunks, their marks higher and farther between. Arashi had long ago surpassed his teammates, his own chakra precision and control far superior—though he did not gloat about his ability.

Hitoshi watched in amused silence as Ken plummeted from the high canopy, landing on his feet with a loud thud. Kushina followed a few seconds later, her landing more graceful, despite her weight being shifted onto one ankle more so than the other. It was a testimony to her agility and speed—and also her ability to manipulate her chaotic chakra so that she could provide wind resistance to her fall. It was a clever trick, and Hitoshi wasn't so sure she even knew she was doing it. Arashi had apparently not been dispatched from his tree, his footsteps faintly echoing as he ascended the trunk. Ken stared skyward, an expression of bitter fury on his face as he wiped the sweat from his eyes. He pushed his forehead protector back into place.

"Dammit.....he's beating.....me!" Ken howled before closing his eyes and concentrating his chakra, obviously unwilling to be bested by the Hyuuga.

"It's not a contest, idiot!" Kushina huffed between breaths, her fingers clasped around her ankle. It was becoming more sore and swollen with each attempt and landing. She knew that it was only a matter of time until she could no longer bear weight on the weakened joint.

"It's a man thing! You wouldn't understand," Ken grunted before his took off, heading for the tree at a lightning fast pace. Kushina shot him a rude gesture with her hand as he barreled up the tree trunk.

Hitoshi smiled to himself. Despite the typical banter, he could detect the subtle changes in the bonds between the trio. One day without him and they had managed to work through some of their problems. He silently wondered if he should assume that his absence was a catalyst for this change. If so, was it a sign that he was a lousy sensei?

He knew he hadn't been devoting as much attention to his pupils as he should, but his wife's sudden pregnancy had been a shock to him. He was slowly recovering, regaining himself one day at a time. With the sudden death of Lady Hatake, he quickly put his life into perspective. He owed it to these three kids to be the best sensei he could be—preparing them to the utmost for the upcoming exams. He felt a slight pang of sadness for his close friend and former teammate, Hatake Sakumo. He was now a single father mourning over the loss of his beloved wife. Hitoshi couldn't begin to understand what Sakumo was going through, nor what his young son, Kakashi would go through.

Hitoshi was also touched by his comrades' kindness at alerting him suddenly of the news, even preparing a fill-in instructor. He sighed as he watched Arashi gracefully land, quickly recovering and immediately resuming the exercise.

_Perhaps Minato is cut out to be an instructor_, he thought with satisfaction. _He had managed to get this bunch in working order. Even I can't do that on the best of days. _

Minato had reported to him the night before, informing him of his team's progress—or lack thereof. Hitoshi couldn't deny most of what the blonde jonin had told him—he had actually expected the report to be worse. As their instructor, he felt responsible for Team Five's flaws, as he had allowed them to run rampant. Hitoshi had anticipated that Minato would use the Bell Test—the rumored test that Sarutobi Hiruzen had used on his own genin team. It would be expected that Jiraiya would have maintained that tradition on his own team, which consisted of Namikaze Minato.

Hitoshi thought back to the previous night's conversation, risking a smile as he remembered the blonde boy's slight preoccupation with Uzumaki Kushina whilst discussing his 'observations'. It wasn't that Minato had been overly obvious, but that Umino Hitoshi could recognize the signs of a schoolboy crush. He, too, had been Minato's age once, and look where _that_ had led after five years of chasing the girl—who happened to be his team member during their genin years.

Kushina was quite different than what he would expect of any girl that would catch Minato's eye. For one, she was a tomboy—both vulgar and clumsy. Despite her effeminate nature, Hitoshi had no doubt that someday, the young girl would be a knockout kunoichi—in both looks and ability. It was apparent that, though he may never admit it, Minato could see that potential as well.

Hitoshi had merely kept his own observations himself, allowing Minato to speak his mind on how to best prepare the team—mainly, Kushina—for Chunin Exams. The older jonin would wait to see what the future held....for his team, of course....

"Hitoshi-sensei?" Kushina peered at him over her shoulder, pushing a sweaty mass of golden red hair from her forehead. Her face was wrinkled with confusion as she studied the tall jonin. "How long have you been standing there? It's kind of creepy, you know!"

"No way! You've reached the top?" came the cry from somewhere above as Ken spotted Arashi's accomplishment. Arashi must have indicated he had, though neither Kushina nor Hitoshi had heard the muffled exchange.

"Son of a bitch!" Ken cursed loudly, making Hitoshi cringe at his student's foul mouth.

"Great," Kushina groaned, shaking her head in exasperation. "Those two are on my last nerve."

"You don't say," the jonin asked, raising his eyebrows in question though his tone was one of amusement. His eyes wandered over the markings in the tree; he could tell that Kushina wasn't faring as well as her teammates.

"You are doing well, Uzumaki," he smiled his encouragement, his eyes still staring high in the canopy.

"Yeah, right. I'm pretty much sucking at this exercise! I obviously have crap control over my chakra," she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She was tired of the disappointment, and wanted so badly to just give up and go home.

"You know, there is this thing called 'practice' that people tend to overlook," Hitoshi grinned, "and it can sometimes take a while. You know...time?"

Kushina rolled her eyes, slightly limping as he walked toward him, "Yeah, yeah, well said, _dad_!"

Hitoshi's eyes widened slightly as he remembered he hadn't told his team the good news. "Uh..well, you see--" he began, scratching the back of his neck.

"Nah, forget about it. We are just some kids you teach. We get it," she waved her hand dismissively, her laugh awkward. He could hear the disappointment in her voice, despite her attempt to mask it.

"Congratulations anyway, Sensei!" Kushina knew that it was not like him to share his personal life with anyone, even a bunch of ragtag genin who couldn't get along before yesterday. She ignored the discomfort in her ankle as she attempted to resume her exercise.

Hitoshi remained silent for some time, chewing his lip in thought. He suddenly had an idea. "Kushina?"

"Huh?" she asked, her eyes closed in concentration as chakra pooling around her feet.

"Make me a few clones, would you?" he asked, his interest suddenly piqued. It was just a theory...but something Minato had suggested...

"Say what?" she turned to look at him, unsure of his reasoning. He was well aware that she could make Shadow Clones....

"Not your usual ones. Use the Clone Technique—the one you learned in Academy," he told her.

Her face fell slightly as her eyes drifted to the ground. "You know I can't do that one," she whispered in shame. She had been the only one in her class who had failed that assignment. Multiple times.

"Try again, then," Hitoshi shrugged his nonchalance. "Just give me one good try. One clone, that's all I ask. I'll buy you ramen."

Her eyes lit up at the bribe, before quickly remembering what she had to do for a delciouw bowl of noodles in broth. Kushina took a deep breath, already predicting the failure she would produce. It was the same, cumbersome reaction each time she used this technique. She sighed, her hands quickly going through the seals.

Ram.

Snake.

Tiger.

She concentrated on the jutsu, praying for some miracle to be dispelled from her meagerly controlled chakra pool.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" she whispered, her eyes remaining closed as she awaited her sensei's disappointed reaction. _Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!_

When she heard nothing, she risked a peek through one heavy lid. She immediately jumped back, screaming in both agony from her swollen ankle and surprise from what stared back at her. A perfect mirror image of herself was smirking and tapping her foot as her hands rested on her hips. Behind the clone, Hitoshi was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, what are you looking at?" the red-headed clone barked.

"I-I did it!" Kushina replied weakly. Her eyes wandered between Hitoshi and her clone. "I...I did it!" she whooped, a smile lighting up her face. She took a step forward, studying the clone. It was solid, unlike her Academy attempts, and it was still standing, a miracle in itself.

"Can...can you walk around, a bit?" she asked timidly.

"Of course I can," the clone snapped, breaking into a sprint and attempting her best at the tree task.

Kushina watched in wide-eyed wonder as the clone easily bounded up the tree trunk. Hitoshi took a few steps forward until he was next to Kushina. "Looks like we are getting somewhere, Uzumaki!"

"But....h-how did I suddenly learn that?" she asked, staring at her mentor in wide-eyed surprise. How had he known that she would be able to?

"I think the main issue was with your chakra control, not your chakra quantity." _Like Minato said_. "You have a good reserve, just not enough control. I see jonin with less chakra than you, though their control is what make them deadly," he explained. He looked up into the tree, studying her kunai markings. It appeared she had made quite a bit of progress since she began.

"But, what good is a ton of chakra without control over it? You can easily split your chakra into equal parts—making Shadow Clones," Hitoshi continued, hoping she grasped the concept. He hated having to explain things over and over.

_Maybe Minato's exercise does have some merit_, he silently concluded. He prided himself in his bribe, as well. He could take credit for that, couldn't he?

"Control? That's my problem?" she asked, the words foreign on her tongue. Minato had mentioned that as well. She had never cared about chakra _control _before!

"I think that may be it," Hitoshi laid a hand on her shoulder, nodding softly. "Perhaps if you master this exercise, we'll be seeing a whole new side of you, Kushina."

She said nothing, watching as her clone fell from the tree, awkwardly splayed as it plummeted to the ground, not disturbing the branches around it. It disappeared in a puff of smoke as its body connected with the hard earth. Kushina gained a sudden memory of the height the clone had achieved. It was higher than her previous attempts.

Perhaps she was getting somewhere....

"Give me one more day," she murmured, staring high into the tree tops.

"Excuse me?" Hitoshi replied, confused.

"Give me one more day to master this exercise," she smiled wryly. "Then you can teach me any new jutsu you want!"

"One more day? Didn't I tell you it was going to take time--" he started. And who said he would teach her a new jutsu?

"We don't have time, Sensei!" she replied grimly. "I'll master my chakra control in one more day. Believe it!"

With that, she quickly sprinted toward the tree, ignoring the pain in her ankle as she felt her feet adhere to the dry bark. "You owe me ramen, Hitoshi-sensei!" she reminded him as she disappeared from his sight.

Moments later, Ken descended in her stead. Hitoshi stepped back as the kid barreled into the ground, howling in pain and frustration. The jonin glanced upward one more time, silently wondering if Kushina could really master the exercise in one day.

_She has been doing it non-stop since yesterday, and her progress has already exceeded what he had expected, _he told himself.

Did being able to summon a suitable clone give her the drive she needed? She had come a long way from the completely immature and mouthy brat assigned to his team right out of the Academy. If she had progressed that much in such a short period of time, Hitoshi knew that she would go a long way from here. Her drive and dedication was impressive—far exceeding that of most of his comrades.

Maybe _he_ was the one who needed a little more faith.

***

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Kushina hobbled to the Hokage Mansion, her ankle nicely supported after being wrapped by the kindly nurse in the hospital. Hitoshi had practically dragged her there after spying the condition of her ankle on one of her descents. She had to admit, it felt nearly one hundred percent better than it did before she went. At least now she could put weight on it—which she needed to do for tomorrow's training.

She easily drifted home, her stomach full of the delicious ramen she had earned. She had to admit, she was proud that she had finally mastered the Clone Technique, though Hitoshi wasn't as impressed when she summoned two to share in on the ramen festivities. Kushina had insisted that she would have eaten the same number of bowls regardless, and this way was merely _quicker_. Hitoshi had mumbled incoherent curses under his breath, immediately regretting bribing the upstart. He would make a mental note of that in the future.

Kushina pushed the door open, pausing in anticipation of Asuma's footsteps on the stairs. She remembered that he was with his older brother, who had a few weeks off before his next mission. She had only met the Sarutobi's eldest son a few times in the few years she had lived with them, though she suspected he kept in close contact with his mother more than he did with Hiruzen. Kushina smiled, it would be a nice visit for Asuma—as she had very little time to spend with him since she began training.

Kushina could see light fanning out from under the door to the parlor, and she quietly padded past it to the stairs. She was hoping she could avoid Lady Sarutobi's questions about how her day had gone and how much she had learned. She was too exhausted for such banter, and wanted to sleep until tomorrow's training commenced.

She could see that the door was slightly ajar, though she kept her eyes straight ahead. As she passed, she could hear the hushed voices of two women, one being Lady Sarutobi. The other she did not recognize.

"..My Lady....is dangerous! Think of yourself...."

"...I have thought about it..I will continue to carry her..."

"...complications....birth defect risks...."

"...I am prepared for all of that, thank you...."

"....could kill you..."

Kushina froze, her toes resting on the first step as her ears registered the low voices that were rapidly being exchanged in the parlor. Who was in there with Lady Sarutobi? And what were they talking about? She could hear the voices growing louder, as if they were approaching.

"But I am your physician! I'm telling you what's best for you!" came the unfamiliar, yet frustrated, voice.

"I understand your concern, but there is nothing to worry about," Lady Sarutobi offered. Kushina could hear her smile.

"It is obvious.....your pressure is unstable....risk to carry to term..."

The voices moved away again, and Kushina strained to here what was being said. A few moments later, they grew closer. Kushina hurriedly moved to the top of the stairs, waiting for whatever happened.

"I want you in my office next week, my Lady!" came the firm voice.

"I will have Hiruzen's secretary make the appointment."

"Shouldn't you at least discuss this with your husband? Lord Hokage should know--"

"I am the one carrying this child, I will do as I wish." There was a brief pause, and Lady Sarutobi's voice grew softer. Firmer. "I understand your concern, but this is my free will."

It was the voice she used when Kushina had done something displeasing.

"Yes, my Lady. As you wish," came the sound of defeat as the door slid open and light spilled across the floor.

A younger woman—no older than her late twenties—quickly strode out of the room, her physician's bag in hand. She paused a moment, turning her head slightly as if sensing Kushina's presence. The visitor glanced up at the genin, dark eyes meeting blue ones. She said nothing, only shaking her head slightly, her raven-colored locks swaying with the movement. With a few, quick steps, she had exited the mansion, the door firmly closing behind her.

Kushina could see the shadow of Lady Sarutobi as she soon followed the unknown woman. Kushina quickly stood as the Hokage's wife stared after the visitor. She sighed, her shoulders slumping as her hand rested on her swollen abdomen. She slowly turned, most likely heading for the kitchen to fetch a snack. She must have caught Kushina's subtle movement from the corner of her eye, because she looked up. A smile immediately spread across her face as she registered the red-head's presence.

"Kushina," she murmured happily, though the genin could detect a hint of sadness beneath her collected exterior.

Kushina nodded, "How are you feeling, ka-chan?"

"Well, my dear. I feel well," she beamed, her hand rubbing the protruding midsection. "How was your day?"

*****

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**Sorry so short (not _that _short)! But, I had wanted to get a chapter in while I could. I've been neglecting this while I finished my Ten/Shino fic. It's much easier only focusing on one or two fics at any given time, so now I can finally keep up with this one! So, look for more updates and sooner :)**

**Thanks to all my readers and adds! And to my reviewers: thank you for your time and kind words! I look forward to reading each of your reviews! **

**UP NEXT: Chunin Exams will commence! ;) *rubs hands together evilly*  
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**  
Enjoy & Happy Reading!!!  
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	10. Chunin Exams: Part One

Kushina slowly traced her fingers over the emblem as her long-forgotten memories came flooding forth. Growing up, she had see this same design on the hitai'ite of the self-proclaimed shinobi in her village. They were no hidden village, and most of the shinobi had hailed from Water--where treaty dictated their presence in the small country. Her mother had been one of those shinobi who had emigrated to the Land of Whirlpools.

Her father had been born in the village—one of the largest in Whirlpool—and her mother had been a jonin in the Land of Water--an allied nation to the thriving country. In her mid-teens, Kushina's mother had been assigned to the tiny village, in hopes of continuing the long established training of Whirlpool shinobi for Kirigakure's quickly expanding military. She had easily captured the Uzumaki heir's eye upon his joining the ranks stationed in the village. He had been a late starter, but had quickly flown through the standard ranks. He had been one of the few who eagerly desired to provide aid and protection for the village. In time, the redheaded Water shinobi had fallen for Kushina's father, deciding to remain posted in the village. Soon after, Kushina was born. Her mother had ultimately asked for temporary leave from her duties--something frowned upon in the ninja world. Due to close connections--mostly by blood--to some powerful lords, she had been granted a reprieve, given that war was not on the horizon. Kushina could vaguely remember moving to a much more rural area as a child, perhaps in her mother's attempt to avoid being found and pressured into returning to Kirigakure—where their forces were rumored to be growing more blood thirsty and power-hungry.

Eventually, Kushina and her parents settled into the quiet, daily life in some off-set abstinent village in Whirlpool. Her father had helped establish shinobi training for the young men and women who wanted to help provide an income for the village by undertaking various, lower-ranked missions in surrounding countries. The elder Uzumaki had even begun teaching his daughter how to control her own chakra, which was wind-based much like his own. It was during that time that some of the shinobi began donning unofficial hitai'ite--much like the one Kushina was holding in her trembling hands.

It was a sign of their accomplishment as a small, oft-overlooked nation.

It was a sign of their pride as a minute, powerless nation.

A nation that no longer existed due to the ravages of a senseless and unfounded war. A nation that was not protected by Kirigakure as the treaties had promised. No, the Land of Water had abandoned their allied country, much to the horror of those who had sacrificed much to their powerful nation. Even their own were killed on Whirlpool soil.

That emblem was a sign of their pride.

_Pride. _

Futile pride. Her village never gave up. Even in the end. She, like her extinct heritage, would never give up until the end.

It would be her ninja way.

Kushina watched the etched lines blur as tears filled her eyes. How had they ever managed to give her such a gift?

"Do you...do you like it, Kushina?" Asuma asked, standing on his toes and peering into the gift box.

His eyes darted from her to his father, unsure as to whether Kushina was shedding tears of happiness or of sadness. Kushina sniffled softly, willing her tears to disappear. She reached into the box, carefully pulling the forehead protector from its package. She smiled as the light glinted off of the new metal.

"You did good, Squirt," she whispered softly. She reached out and tousled his hair.

"Hey!" Asuma pouted, despite smiling proudly at his meaningful gift.

"How did you ever think of this?" she asked, glancing from Asuma to the Hokage and his wife.

Kushina assumed that his parents had given him the idea, of course. Asuma was far too young to remember the existence of her village or its symbol. He most likely didn't even remember how she had come to live in the Mansion with his family.

"Actually," Lady Sarutobi smiled, her hand settling on her abdomen as she glanced at Hiruzen, "it was Minato's idea."

"Eh?" Kushina asked, pulling a face.

Her nose wrinkled and one side of her mouth twitched upward as she instinctively held the forehead protector at arm's length after hearing _his _name. It dangled between her thumb and forefinger as she glared at it. She was suddenly was not as touched by Asuma's gift. It reeked of Namikaze Minato—something she disliked very, very much.

"Why the hell would he help find a gift for me?" She shot the offending hitai'ite another hate-filled look as Asuma balked at her reaction. _He_ had thought it was a good idea...

"Don't know," Hiruzen shrugged, smiling as he sucked on his pipe. Puffs of smoke lazily billowed toward the ceiling.

"Asuma had apparently been wandering through the village, and he had run into Minato," Lady Sarutobi began to explain, smiling knowingly as she gestured toward the gift. "And this is what he had come up with, even paying for half of it."

Her smile was so sweet that Kushina shuddered. "Great, way to ruin a good present, that good-for-nothing pieces of sh--"

"Kushina!" Lady Sarutobi tsked warningly, glancing toward Asuma.

Her caution-filled look was full of purpose, reminding Kushina that the gift's impact on her also meant something to another person. Kushina followed her foster mother's glance, her own heart sinking as she realized that Asuma had been proud of his gift—even if it hadn't been entirely _his _idea. She wanted to burn the hitai'ite just knowing Minato had anything to do with choosing it. Though, even with feelings of spite, part of her wondered how such a brash young man could come up with such an innocently sweet and thoughtful gift. Maybe he _did_ have a heart, after all....

"Well? Ya like it?" Asuma looked at her, his eyes wide with hope after Kushina flashed her trademark grin.

"Of course," she promised, taking the black fabric between her fingers. She tied it around her forehead, smiling and giving a thumbs up. "How's it look?"

"You look like a chunin," Hiruzen gruffly replied between puffs.

"Thanks, Old Man!" Kushina chirped, as Asuma giggled.

Hiruzen's face turned pink, contrasting his chestnut colored hair. His wife took the initiative, interrupting the dispute that was about to take place. "We also have something for you."

"Huh? There's more?" Kushina's mouth fell open in shock. "But this is more than enough! Plus, you feed me!" she pointed out incredulously.

"Well, consider it an early birthday gift, then," the older woman smiled softly. She immediately revealed two neatly-wrapped packages, handing the smaller to Kushina.

The redhead took it between unsure fingers, swiftly untying the knot and lifting the lid from the box. She gasped as she saw what was inside. It was an orange jacket, folded so the back was the first thing she set her eyes on. Emblazoned on it was her family crest.

_Uzumaki. _

It was a symbol of a dying breed—one of which she was the sole survivor. For the second time that night, her eyes began to water.

"H-how?" her voice was hoarse as she croaked the question. She had nothing in her possession that held her family crest.

"Eh, some of the former refugees had helped," Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively.

He disliked seeing Kushina upset, even if he never admitted it. The kage had taken it upon himself to send his secretary to seek out the emigrants, asking them about the crest of the family. He had been surprised to hear of their prodigy: both parents promising shinobi who died protecting their village. He squinted as he examined the young girl, wondering what prodigy she would reveal to Konoha. Some days, he considered her prodigy to be sheer stupidity and immaturity.

_Village idiot_, he thought smugly to himself. He would save that insult for a later debate. He felt a tiny twinge of pride at the cleverness of his anticipated retort.

Kushina pulled the lightweight jacked from the box, quickly putting it on. She craned her neck to try to see the symbol on her back.

"How does it look?" she asked, her grin wide.

"You look like an Uzumaki from the Whirlpool," Hiruzen chuckled.

"Good," Kushina nodded, feeling slightly proud of her heritage. Somewhere, she knew her parents were smiling upon her. She carefully removed the jacket, lovingly folding it and laying her forehead protector over it, all the while smiling to herself.

"Well, aren't you gonna wear it for tomorrow?" Asuma asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Tomorrow?" Kushina echoed, her heart pounding as she remembered that the exams started in the morning. "Why would I wear _this _for an exam?"

"Well, for good luck. That'd be a start," Hiruzen smirked. Kushina shot him an icy blue stare.

"And because that's who you are!" Asuma pointed out smartly.

Kushina stared at him, incredulous at his heartfelt response. He had grown so much in the past few years. She had no doubt that he would bring much pride to the Sarutobi clan one day. And she would be one of the proud observers of his achievement.

She nodded her affirmation. "Right. If you say so, Asuma--"

"I do!" he furrowed his brow authoritatively, slamming his fists onto his hips.

"Then it's done," she reached out a hand for him to shake. He returned the gesture, shaking firmly.

"Deal," she smiled.

"Deal."

"Oh, you have one more, dear," Lady Sarutobi handed her the larger package.

Kushina eyed it with interest, having an idea that Asuma's mother had personally chosen this gift. The bright pink bow was her first hint, the second was the floral wrapping paper. She quickly opened the package, her face blanching a the deep mauve kimono inside. Cobalt and sage-colored flower petals dotted the fabric.

_Oh no, _she inwardly groaned. _Not this_!

"I hope you like it, Kushina," Lady Sarutobi's face lit up with pride. "I think it's a beautiful color on you, even if you disagree."

Kushina forced a smile upon her face as she daintily pulled the fabric from its encasement. She had to admit, it was much darker pink than Lady Sarutobi usually chose for her. Despite the intent, Kushina couldn't help the sneaking, gagging feeling that was mounting in the back of her throat. She had to keep telling herself to refrain from offending her foster parents, as they could easily take back the two gifts she had already received. Those two, she definitely wanted to keep.

"I-It's p-p-pretty," she practically spat the words, her mouth watering with nausea.

"I was hoping you would like it. You can wear it to the next ceremony," Lady Sarutobi pointed out excitedly.

Kushina immediately felt guilty for her agonizing thoughts. It was only a color! Why did she have to give the older woman such a difficult time about wearing a _color_. If it made Lady Sarutobi happy, why shouldn't Kushina go the extra mile to appease the woman?

She looked up, meeting the older woman's approval-seeking glance. Kushina momentarily swallowed her pride, masking her hopeless disdain with a mischievous grin. _Just this once_.....

"I hope you don't expect me to wear _this _to the exams!"

***

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***

When her alarm went off, Kushina had already been awake for hours. She had barely slept that night, her anxiety getting the best of her. Team Five had prepared the best they could, but she still felt nervous about the upcoming test. She didn't know what to expect from this exam, and part of her was slowly deciding that being a genin forever really wasn't _that_ bad of an idea. Now, she only had to get Ken and Arashi to agree....

She rubbed her puffy eyes, forcing herself from the warm bed. She could smell breakfast cooking, and she knew that Lady Sarutobi was already preparing something for Kushina's 'Big Day'--as she affectionately called it. The phrase made Kushina grimace. It sounded more like impending doom than a well-deserved feat—as if she were getting married or something equally disturbing to her teenage mind.

Breakfast had passed by quietly, ending with a few encouraging words from both Hiruzen and his wife. Hiruzen had patted her on the shoulder, reminding her that everyone had managed to make it through these exams, giving Kushina a sliver of hope. Asuma had shook her hand, quickly deciding a hug was in order.

"Don't die!" he yelled as she slowly trudged from the mansion, her face pale with fear.

Arashi and Ken were waiting for her near the Academy, both looking equally worse for wear. They wordlessly acknowledged her before setting off for their examination site. She cast nervous glances at her teammates, wondering if _now _would be the time to ask about backing out...

"You look like a sad bunch!" a male voice chuckled from behind them. The three genin turned to find their sensei lounging on a low-hanging tree branch

"Look who it is," Ken muttered sarcastically.

"Coming to wish us well on our deaths?" Kushina sighed, feeling more hopeless than usual. Even Ken's sad attempt at humor didn't help her feel better.

"Whoah? Is this negativity coming from Uzumaki?" he asked, disappearing from the tree and reappearing a few meters from his team.

Kushina scowled darkly, her mouth shut tight. Ken and Arashi avoided Hitoshi's gaze, both feeling the pressure of what today would bring.

"Who's going to fail?" their team leader asked, angling his head and studying the three genin from the corner of his eye. "The first part is the easiest."

"Says you," Ken rolled his eyes. Kushina subtly nodded her agreement. Even Arashi was uncharacteristically silent in response to their sensei's encouragement.

"Look, you three," Hitoshi laid a hand on both Ken and Kushina's shoulder. "Have faith in yourselves. You are stronger than you think. Use your heads,and you'll be fine. And most of all, trust one another."

He offered them an uncharacteristic grin. "Besides, if I didn't think you were prepared, I wouldn't have submitted your names."

"Wait, just wanting to participate wasn't enough?" Kushina eyed him suspiciously, "_You _had to OK us to participate? What about our months of training? Would that have been for nothing if you decided that we weren't ready?"

"Yup, sounds right," Hitoshi straightened himself, a small frown on his lips as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. Kushina could see his poor attempt at hiding the grin that was threatening to reveal itself. Before it could break free, the jonin forcefully spun both Kushina and Ken around, pushing them in front of him.

"Now get going, and quite bitching!" he barked, hoping to snap them into form.

"Hey--" Ken started, his own tone suspicious as he began to ask questions of his own.

"Enough! I command you three to get in there and make me proud. If you don't, then I can very well make your life a living hell!" their sensei warned.

The three genin wordlessly turned to stare at him, unsure of whether his threat would ring true. They knew that he could make their lives hell, but the question was: _would he_? Arashi shook his head, the first to decide that whatever they were to face, it couldn't be worse than Hitoshi's wrath. He began to walk toward their destination, Kushina and Ken begrudgingly following suit.

"Hey, Uzumaki!" Hitoshi yelled. Kushina turned to look over her shoulder, praying that maybe—_maybe_--he had decided to pull them out of the exam....

"Nice jacket!"

He gave her a thumbs up before disappearing, leaving both Ken and Arashi to wonder what the big deal was as they examined her new attire. Neither had even noticed it before their sensei had mentioned anything.

Kushina, on the other hand, felt the tiniest glimmer of pride.

And hope.

***

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***

Ken and Arashi were practically carrying Kushina out of the exam, the former mumbling obscenities all the way.

"Written exam?" Kushina whispered, her heart still beating in her chest. "What the hell..."

"Yup, a fucking written exam," Ken agreed. He, too, was perplexed by the importance of a damned written exam.

"Half of those questions..." she whispered, her mind reeling from the anxiety she had felt up on seeing them for the first time.

Arashi, who had been the only one to study, nodded solemnly, "Even I couldn't answer a few of them."

"A few?" Ken growled. "I couldn't answer_ any_!"

Kushina said nothing, remembering the panic that taken over her. She was never good at written exams, though she was not at the bottom of her class in exam scores. But, _these _questions! _These questions_ were absolutely ridiculous! At first, she had been tempted to just give up and walk out, but when she shoved her hands in her pocket, she felt the Whirlpool emblazoned hitai'ite and its cool surface. The memory of what that small gift represented to both her and her adopted family was enough to push her to at least sit the exam through. The questions had been garbage that she never used: projectile arcs, integrations, even family trees of distant shinobi who were long dead and had no ties to Konoha.

No, Kushina was not going to pass that exam. She knew it.

The exam knew it.

What made it worse were the proctors who sat around the edge of the room, watching for overt signs of cheating. Students were being expelled left and right, most of the ones in her row long gone by the end. There were only a few dozen—at most—who had actually left the exam room after the test was dismissed. They were the lucky few who would pass onto the second phase.

Apparently, according to Arashi, cheating was encouraged by covert means. It was intended for the students to use discreet methods of intel gathering—something that is necessary to any shinobi. He had simply used his Byakugan, though he didn't feel that anyone else's answers were satisfactory. Instead, he relied on his own smarts to complete the exam. Ken, on the other hand, had used his chakra strings to slowly pull his neighbor's test out into his view, quickly managing to score a few answers before the kid replaced his elbow over the paper.

Kushina had wanted to give up five minutes into the exam. She had been furiously pulling her hair out while she fretted about concepts she didn't understand. She had managed to answer two questions, but her strategy for the rest of the irrelevant questions was to merely scrawl as sloppily as possible, so that no one could read her answers. Then, at least, she had some hope that she may squeak by. It wasn't until she had frustratedly thrown her forehead protector on the table that she realized she could use it as a reflecting surface. With a few minute manipulations, she had successfully been able to glance at the exam behind her—the one belonging to the boy who looked eerily similar to Arashi.

At the end of the exam, the proctor reappeared, informing the nervous genin of another question. This one was different in that if you answered it incorrectly, you were permanently disqualified from Chunin Exams. Forever a genin. It was all-or-nothing.

On top of that, you could forfeit the current exam without penalty if you chose to not answer the question. At those stipulations, another dozen was easily wiped out. Kushina could tell from the proctor's face that he had expected more to give up this early in the exam. She also deduced that if this question were _that _difficult, almost no one would become a chunin—greatly depleting the shinobi population. She glanced at her team, nodding her acceptance of the task. Ken and Arashi gave their silent approvals, enabling Team Five to stay for the question. None could imagine that permanent disqualification were really an actual outcome. It _had _to be a bluff.

_Had to be_.

And, with enough patience, their determination proved fruitful. The last question was merely a test of will to see who would actually stick it out. She glanced around, noticing Tsume's team was still in the running, as was Yoshino's team. There were two Hyuugas, aside from Arashi, as well as Shikaku's team. All-in-all, there were at least six Konoha teams that were moving onto the next round.

Following their good fortune came the instructions for the second part of the exam. Kushina nearly peed herself when Namikaze Minato teleported into the room, angrily warning the genin of the dangers to come. She stared at him in mild amusement, rolling her eyes at his painstaking performance. While others may have bought it, she sure didn't.

Fast forward to Kushina being dragged from the room by her two male teammates....

"That was it? Seriously?" Kushina sighed.

"Yup, seems to be," Ken agreed. "Fucking ridiculous if you ask me."

"Agreed," Arashi nodded. "Though Namikaze-san was a nice touch."

"You loved that, I bet," Ken sarcastically toyed with his teammate. "Bet we'll see more of him in--"

A tall, messy haired boy who stormed past the trio, bumping into Ken, almost knocking both him and Kushina over. "Watch it, dickhead!" the boy hissed.

Ken narrowed his eyes in anger, "Kiss my ass, man!"

The boy turned around, quickly stalking toward them. He pointed a threatening finger at Ken as he took a menacing step forward. Kushina noted that he was nearly six inches taller than Ken, making him one of the tallest genin in the race.

"Watch your mouth, kid, or you'll end up--" his green eyes flashed their anger.

"Yeah, yeah," Ken rolled his eyes, as if on cue. "Where are you from? Oh, Iwa. Rock eater, if you ask me!"

The boy growled as he pushed Ken, who refused to be baited. Kushina reacted as they had practiced, pushing the boy back with little force. "Leave him alone!"

The Iwa teen registered her poor attempt at interference. "Is that all?" he laughed "Is that all you got? Stupid girl... there's no place in the shinobi world for the likes of you."

"Oh yeah?" Kushina asked, her cheeks turning red. She knew that she shouldn't allow his words to affect her, but she hated that sort of attitude. Hated it with a passion.

The boy took a step toward Kushina and Ken, raising his arm to strike a blow. Arashi quickly reached out and prevented the tactic. "This is not the time nor place."

"Agreed," came the smooth voice from behind them. Minato had been watching the entire scene from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "There will be plenty of time for that in the upcoming test."

The Iwa genin said nothing, casting a dark smirk and angry glare at Team Five before turning on heel and storming off. Hitoshi's team was left standing there as Minato kept his gaze on the floor.

"So you're strategy is to let them underestimate you?" the blond smirked.

Kushina opened her mouth, but her words failed her. Were they _that _obvious?

"No," Minato raised a hand, quickly glancing at the trio, "your timing was well-executed. I just know your capabilities, that is all. _I _can see the bait."

Arashi nodded, glancing at his teammates. "You think it is a poor strategy?"

"Come on, man," Ken whined. "That Iwa jerk has been riding my tail since we got here!"

It was true, Kushina remembered. He had been trying to pick fights with the weakest looking genin he could find, obviously hoping to find targets for the later part of the exam. Team Five had already agreed to feign weakness and vulnerability, as they knew that the observations and analysis began as soon as the teams interacted with one another. The less attention brought to them, the better. If they were regarded as weak, then they could be underestimated.

Minato's smile was faint as he answered Arashi's question. "Not a bad strategy, no."

"Then what's with the shitty grin?" Kushina sighed, deciding that he was being more annoying than anything.

_Why did he always pop up at inappropriate times_? she wondered as her forefinger traced the pattern on the hitai'ite in her pocket as she spoke. She knew that she should thank him for the kindness he showed Asuma in helping him choose a gift, but her pride was preventing that humility.

"Shitty grin?" Minato echoed absentmindedly as his blue eyes wandered over the Leaf forehead protector that was currently around her waist.

She had worn the orange jacket, her sleeves pushed up onto her forearms. Her hitai'ite secured her jacket snugly to her waistless torso, as well as safe-guarding a few scrolls she had neatly tucked away. Kushina could feel her cheeks growing hot, knowing full well that Minato was wondering where the Whirlpool forehead protector was. She averted her eyes as his own gaze quickly returned to the floor—the interaction missed by Kushina's seemingly oblivious teammates.

"I think that little display of yours may actually get you through the second round," Minato nodded briefly, glancing at his watch as he straightened his posture. "But you've definitely made a new enemy in the process."

Before they could respond, Minato had disappeared. Team Five exchanged slightly worried glances as they decidedly made their way to the Forest of Death, none of them considering that it may very well be their burial ground.

*****

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_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters. _

**Warning: Upcoming action in upcoming chapters. Can you handle it? **

**Thanks to all who have reviewed! I appreciate you going the extra mile. Time is precious :) Your kindness makes my day!  
**


	11. A Friend in Need

**Super long chapter for your patience. I hope you like it! I don't pretend to be a great author. I know I can write, but my stories are far from perfect. And yes, there will be Minato/Kushina fluff, but I'm building to it. Heck, maybe I'll even somehow convince myself to write a lemon (don't hold me to that, but I'll try). I may cry myself to sleep over that anxiety now ;)**

**_Thats_A_Freakin'_Riot:_ **thanks :D Here ya go!

**_Frosted Snowflakes:_ **I'm glad you liked the story. I'm not entirely sure when I'll get to that, probably after I finish this story and my FT story. It's tough even doing two at the same time. I may even just make it an entirely different story...who knows. But, I'll go back to it, eventually.

**Thanks a ton to my reviewers. You keep me going! I don't forget about updating, but it just sometimes takes longer. The story will be make it to a finish, I promise. Much appreciation to all of my new readers and regulars ;) Let me know what you think!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters (as you can tell by the latest chapter..there will be no whisking away of any character by Madara. Sorry.)_

A/N (3/17): _I edited some mistakes. In my haste to upload it, I missed some minor errors. Still, annoying, though :)__  
_

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"That's it!" the blond grinned, despite the serious expression that lingered in his eyes. "No questions! I don't repeat myself!"

His icy blue stare suddenly became menacing. A few hopefuls shifted uncomfortably on their feet, grossly aware of Minato's ever-growing legacy as a Leaf-nin. Kushina had been ignoring most of the jonin's instructions, knowing that her teammates—namely Arashi—would remember the important stuff.

Besides, how difficult could it be? Go into the forest, get to the tower. Time constraint. The rest was history.

"Uzumaki!" Minato barked from where he was leaning against the giant wooden post. His eyes were closed and his face devoid of emotion as he awaited her reaction.

Kushina jumped, her attention suddenly drawn away from Tsume and Yoshino. The three kunoichi had been standing around, mumbling to one another in anxious excitement of the task ahead. The trio had just promised to not attack one another during the their upcoming trial in the Forest of Death.

"Huh?" Kushina replied hesitantly. She could feel every pair of eyes on her, and she suddenly felt very sheepish. "Whaddya want?"

"Did you hear _anything_ that I have been telling you for the past twenty minutes?" his eyes flickered open and his gaze fell upon her face. His eyes flashed their unspoken warning.

"Uh..." she trailed off, her face burning with shame. She dug her toes into the ground in muted frustration. Why did he pick on her like this? And so publicly!

"Yeah..I heard you.." she avoided his gaze, her cheeks visibly pink.

"Good, because, as I've said, I won't be repeating myself," he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest once again, though his eyes remained on Kushina. She uneasily glanced at her comrades. Even Tsume seemed taken aback by Minato's abrasiveness.

"Who's got his balls in a vice?" the dog-nin growled under her breath. One of her sharp incisors protruded over her lower lip.

"Why are you talking about my balls?" Minato suddenly whispered from behind the three kunoichi.

Kuromaru growled, sensing the new presence. Tsume jumped, as did Kushina--whose eyes quickly darted to where the jonin had just been standing. Her jaw fell open in both confusion and awe. Had he teleported?

"N-no one is t-talking about your man parts, sir," Yoshino answered, her teeth nearly chattering as she did so.

Kushina could hear the low whispers beginning to spread through the crowd of contestants, making her want to shrivel up and die. She tried to stop staring at Minato like a scared child, but she couldn't tear her eyes from the serious expression on his face. His jaw was set as he returned her stare. She was shocked that he had been able to get close enough without her knowing. If _he _could get this close so easily, was _she _even prepared for this exam?

"Good, I thought not," Minato straightened, his eyes raising from Kushina's ashen face to hover over the expectant crowd.

Some were staring in wide-eyed awe at Minato's rare display of such an ability. His reputation had already begun to travel to other countries, and the students knew they would be able to verify the gossip that was slowly spreading through their villages. Minato ignored the excited whispers, his disappointed gaze returning to Kushina's face, which was now a vivid shade of red.

"I suggest you get back to your team and get your scroll," he warned, his voice low as the air hissed between his teeth.

Tsume and Yoshino silently crept away, Tsume making gestures behind Minato's back. Kushina silently cursed her friends for leaving her alone with him. She widened her eyes, emphatically, to let Tsume know she did not appreciate their hasty escape. She blinked rapidly as she turned her attention back to Minato, as she didn't want another lecture about not paying attention to his instructions...

"Scroll?" Kushina stupidly echoed before she could stop the words from tumbling from her mouth.

_Fail!_

"You weren't paying attention!" Minato barked. A few snickers cut through the thick tension. The blond jonin glanced around the hovering genin. "Go get your damned scrolls!" he growled at the group.

They balked as his sudden anger lashed out at them. The young shinobi quietly began to slink toward the allocated stations, impatiently waiting for their scrolls. Kushina stared at the jonin, unsure of where this sudden fire came from. Everyone knew and loved the playful Namikaze Minato.

Except her, of course.

Minato's eyes momentarily locked on hers as he continued, his lip curling in anger. "This is not a game!"

"I know that, idiot!" she spat, immediately covering her mouth, her face paling. "I-I m-mean...sorry.."

He sighed as he stared into the forest, his expression growing dark. His shoulders drooped slightly as he turned to face the anxious genin that were beginning to drift toward an available gate. His voice was resonant at he ignored Kushina and focused his attention on the others.

"The gates will open shortly. You have five days from then!"

The chattering crowd quickly dispersed themselves at Minato's words, understanding the importance of punctuality. Kushina tried to avoid the jonin's wrath, turning to look for Ken and Arashi. Minato, obviously annoyed with her, decided that his time was better vested elsewhere and began to walk away. She could hear the crunch of Minato's boots on the drying grass as his voice carried with the wind. Kushina could hear only part of Minato's low grumbling comment.

"....never survive in there with such a lack of attention to detail," he was shaking his head, his back to her.

"Eh, quit your bitching. Just because this test was easy for you! _I'm_ not that gifted! I'm a _refugee_, remember?" she retorted quickly, almost immediately regretting her angry rant.

Minato said nothing as he turned to look over his shoulder. His eyes were blank as he returned her stare. Normally, Kushina found his face unreadable—aside from the stupid smile he always had plastered on it. But this time...._this time_...she thought she saw recognition, regret, and sadness in his eyes. In a blink of her eye, the pained expression had disappeared.

Kushina immediately realized that she had been out of line. Minato was her superior and she could not speak to him like this—especially not in such a public setting. Her fingers traced over the cold metal in her pocket. She hadn't decided if she were going to wear the Whirlpool hitai'ite for the test, and she silently mulled over the idea of thanking him. Maybe it would redeem her from her stinging words.

"Namikaze?" she croaked, almost against her will. He didn't answer.

"Namikaze-_sensei_?"

Her eyes darted around as she made sure that no one was listening to what she was about to say. She was surprised when Minato did not immediately respond to her. She was even more surprised when he outright ignored her, continuing to walk away.

"Minato..." she attempted a third time, pulling the hitai'ite from her pocket and clasping it in her right hand. He still didn't turn around.

"Wait a damn second!" she yelled, her regret slowly being replaced with anger.

He waved a hand in the air, never turning to look at her. "Just hope that your teammates pay better attention."

With that, he was gone--leaving her to stare at where his back had just been. She silently cursed him with everything she could think of. Why was she always the one watching his back as he disappeared?

***

* * *

***

"Earth scroll," Arashi murmured softly, squinting at the scroll in his hand.

The trio was standing at their respective gate. Ken and Kushina were nervously shifting on their feet. Kushina was more worried, given Minato's harsh words from earlier. Maybe she was irresponsibly careless. Would her team have to pull her through this part? She silently promised to be alert and ready for any attack.

She would show _him_!

"Who's gonna carry it?" Kushina asked, glancing at her two teammates as she began to nervously pace.

"I say the strongest should carry it," Arashi answered after a few moments of silence. Somewhere in the distance a bird shrilly called out. It sounded foreboding to Kushina.

"Exactly," Ken quickly agreed, nodding his head in satisfaction. "I figured you'd say that I should carry the scroll."

Kushina said nothing, as Arashi's eyes widened slightly. She was currently envisioning the battle that was about to ensue between her already-anxious teammates.

Arashi cringed, his eyes darting to the scroll in his had. His fingers tightened around the oblong parcel of rolled paper. "I wasn't talking about you."

"What?" Ken asked, surprised by Arashi's words. His expression was quickly replaced by an assumed realization. "Oh so you think _you _are the strongest? _You _should carry it?"

Arashi was silent for some time, as if contemplating his next sentence. Ken's fury began to rise as the color crept from his ears and cheeks to his neck.

"Spit it out, Hyuuga!" the young weapon's master barked.

"I was thinking Kushina should carry it," Arashi calmly nodded toward the red head, his voice low.

"Huh?" both Ken and Kushina drawled in unison.

Kushina was the most shocked at Arashi's suggestion. She could feel the bile rising in the back of her throat as she began to panic. Could she handle such an important task? What if she lost it? Was she really strong? _That _strong?

"Kushina?" Arashi whispered, his voice soft and filled with honest concern that she had not immediately agreed.

Kushina was always the headstrong one of the group, and Ken would follow her lead. Though Ken would never admit to walking in Kushina's footsteps, Arashi knew that she was the leading force of the duo. Lately, however, Arashi had noticed how much Kushina had grown, both in maturity and strength. She was easily becoming the strongest of their team. Her skill in both ninjutsu and taijutsu had amplified magnanimously, and he couldn't deny the potential she possessed. At times, he had wished that he, too, could progress at her speed. He would have never guessed that the clumsy girl would become such a promising shinobi. A gifted kunoichi.

"Me?" Kushina murmured, her voice failing her from speaking any further. She could feel her hands beginning to tremble. "Why?"

"I have been thinking about it," Arashi answered, as if he were expecting her hesitancy. "You are able to produce functional shadow clones, which is already more than what either Ken or I can do. That, alone, is reason enough for me. But, furthermore, you can provide us with a great advantage over the others with that technique. Besides, your accuracy with your chakra blades has surpassed either of our ninjutsu--"

"Hey!" Ken interrupted, obviously upset at the slight.

Arashi raised his hand to interrupt any more outbursts, "You are still the most accurate with your taijutsu, Ken. That was never a question." The corners of Ken's mouth twitched upward in satisfaction.

Arashi continued, "Where was I? Oh yes, and third, you are the only one here who can use two types of elemental chakra. I'd say that, all in all, is enough of a reason to me."

He glanced at Ken expectantly, as his reasoning was absorbed by his comrades. Ken tapped his chin for some time, taking in Arashi's argument. After a few moments, Ken came to his conclusion.

He glanced at Kushina, his cheeks slightly pink. "I agree."

Kushina's mouth fell open in shock; she was not used to such praise. Especially not from these two—who were far too involved in their own internal competitions to pay her any notice.

"What? Me? _Strong?_" she asked, glancing from one to the other in disbelief.

Arashi's face had grown pink. He felt silly for giving such an elaborate speech, especially when it was not appreciated by his teammates. He quickly recovered, blinking furiously as he looked down at the scroll between his fingers. He held it out toward Kushina.

"You are stronger than you believe, Kushina," he answered calmly, his lavender eyes serious. "Give yourself some credit."

"But both of you--" the red-head began to argue.

"Arashi's right," Ken cut in, avoiding their gaze. "You have grown the most in the past month. You deserve it."

Kushina said nothing, her eyes watering slightly as she glanced down at the proffered scroll. Her teammates trusted her enough to allow her to carry such a crucial item, and she would not betray that trust. She eyed the scroll with disdain as her fingers slowly reached out for the tiny parcel. She tugged it free, quietly sliding it into her bag, securing it around her waist.

"I will guard it with my life," she promised, her cheeks flushing from her teammates' praise. "I won't give up, even in the end."

"Good," Arashi glanced toward the forest.

A loud blaring noise tore through the air and the gates slowly jerked open as if they had heard Kushina's words. The forest was both dark and foreboding--loud wails and animalistic cries carrying from the dark canopy. Kushina shuddered as Ken muttered profanities under his breath. Arashi, now standing next to Kushina, glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Guarding with your life....you my very well be doing just that."

***

* * *

***

It had been two days. Two days and they had not encountered another party. No one. The trio maintained their original strategy, slowly combing the forest while closing in on the large tower in the center. Despite the absence of human life, Team Five had encountered a few monsters, which they had been able to easily overcome. One large centipede and a few reptiles. Nothing much. So far, it had been fairly easy. But they still needed a Heaven scroll, and time was counting down.

Good thing they had a plan.

"I'm so sick of this!" Ken whined. "How are we gonna find someone with the Heaven scroll? In this piece of shit forest!"

"Shut up, you ass," Kushina spat, pushing him furiously. "All you do is whine! I'm startin' to wonder if you have a pair."

"How about you let me carry the scroll, Uzumaki?" Ken asked, grabbing for the rolled parchment around her waist.

Kushina swatted his hand away. "I'm gonna kick your face in! Quit acting like an idiot!"

"Enough, both of you," Arashi murmured, his own voice edgy. His pale eyes glanced around, as his body became rigid and his hand shot up in warning. He glanced over his shoulder, into the low-lying tree branches.

Someone was near.

"What is it?" Ken asked, noticing the change in his teammate's posture. The small signal had alerted the two bickering genin.

"We aren't alone," Arashi whispered, his pale eyes darting around the surrounding forest.

"Eh?" Ken's face screwed up in confusion. He perked up his ears, hearing nothing.

"There's someone--" Arashi began to explain calmly.

"Who's stronger than you!" came the familiar voice as the newcomer wittily completed the Hyuuga's statement.

All three Leaf genin froze, immediately recognizing the Iwagakure genin from the incident following their written exam. They glanced up, finding him standing on a low-hanging branch. One hand was on his hip, the other against the tree as he haughtily stared down at the three Leaf-nin.

"It's you!" Ken pointed at the boy, his eyes flashing angrily.

Arashi glanced behind the group, away from the newcomer. He looked up into a tree, his face unmoving as his eyes narrowed slightly. As if receiving a silent message, he turned around, his lips parting slowly.

"There's two more with him. Show yourself."

"Eh, those eyes of yours are a prize," the unruly-haired genin sneered. "They are going to have to come out--"

"Over my dead body!" Ken interrupted, furiously attempting to charge forward.

Kushina reached out a hand, gripping his dark red shirt in an attempt to hold her impetuous teammate back. Their opponent scoffed, waving his hand for his teammates to come out of hiding. Two more genin, both males, stepped out from behind the trio. They were not much to look at, but Kushina knew not to underestimate anyone. Looks could be deceiving.

Team Five was surrounded. They would have no other option than to fight their way out of the trap. Three sets of Iwa eyes were on Kushina, scrutinizing the scroll at her waist. The first Iwa-nin spoke, his voice thick with triumph as his green eyes shone their glee.

"Give us the scroll and we'll spare you your life. We'll only ask once."

"How do you know we have the scroll you need?" Kushina retorted, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Because," the boy smirked, "You've been practically announcing it to the entire forest." He laughed as Ken's eyes widened. After a few moments, he continued, "As I've told you before, there's no room in the shinobi world for a worthless girl like you. You're better off making me dinner or something equally as domestic."

"Fuck you," Kushina spat, a kunai suddenly brandished in her hand. It glinted from a thin ray of sunlight that had managed to penetrate the thick flora of the forest.

"That, too," the Iwa-nin mused lightly, his teammates laughed at his vulgarity. Kushina felt her face burn from the crude language.

"Well?" the green-eyed genin asked, his eyes still locked on the scroll.

"Not a chance," Ken answered slowly, "In hell."

Before anyone could react, the Rock ninja had leaped from the branch, quickly appearing before Ken. In a blur of movement, a small blade was plunged into Kushina's abdomen. She stared in wide-eyed horror as the boy stood before her, laughing in her face. Her fingers weakly reached down, wrapping around the cool metal that had pierced her flesh. Her eyes followed, noticing the bright red blood that pooled around the weapon, slowly soaking through her jacket. Her gift from the Sarutobis.

"Silly girl, you'd woulda never made it, I did you a favor," the Rock-nin sneered, his breath hot and rotten in her face. Blood dripped onto the ground, beading into small pools.

"YOU--" Ken screamed as the Iwa genin reached for the scroll around Kushina's waist. His long fingers easily pulled it free. Arashi said nothing, staring in muted disgust at what their enemy had done, his face pale as he glanced at the two Iwa genin behind them.

"So easy," the green-eyed youth murmured to himself as he felt the scroll between his fingertips. "You three are a joke. Too afraid of your own shadows to even prevent her death."

His crude smile was quickly cut short as Kushina began to laugh. The Rock-nin's eyes widened at the outlandish behavior. Kushina' s face was masked by her hair, though her shoulders shook from the effort. Her laugh was soft at first, slowly growing louder and more hysterical as the seconds passed. The two Iwa-nin stepped forward, but the first raised his hand to halt their approach.

"Huh?" the boy drew back, "What's so fucking funny? You have a kunai in your gut."

Kushina kept laughing as she reached out and grabbed onto the boy's arm, pulling the kunai deeper into her abdomen. His eyes widened in shock; he had obviously not expected_ this_ reaction out of her. He licked his lips, feeling slightly sickened as her bowels were run through with his weapon.

"Silly boy," she whispered between chuckles, her voice low so that only he could hear. "You _did _do me a favor."

She raised her face so that her eyes would meet his. Blue on green. Combined, they were the color of the sea. Her smile widened; her teeth stained and streaked red from the blood. Kushina's icy blue eyes were filled with anger as the Iwa-nin attempted to draw back. His retreat was in vain, as her grip was too tight.

"What the hell?" he hissed, suddenly disgusted by her sadistic behavior.

Before he could attempt another retreat, his comrades disappeared in a puff of smoke--quickly being replaced by Kushina's own two teammates. Arashi 's pupil-less eyes stared at the remaining Rock-nin, his stance offensive. Ken was at his side, quickly releasing two kusarigama from his chosen scroll. The sickle-shaped weapons whirled around his shoulders as he displayed his mastery to the overconfident Iwa boy. The sound of metal blades cutting through the air was a familiar lullaby to Kushina.

"Gotcha!" Ken smirked as his weapons settled comfortably in his palms, and his body prepared for a fight. "Good job, Kushina!"

"Thanks," she replied, though not from in front of the Iwa-genin.

Her voice drifted forth from the boy next to their enemy--the one that looked exactly like Ken. The green-eyed enemy looked to his left, realizing that he had been trcked by the transformation. The Hyuuga's clone disappeared first, followed by the red-head in front of him, leaving only the clone of Ken beside him. It, too, quickly disappeared, being replaced by the _real _Kushina.

"S-Shadow Clones!" the Iwagakure-nin whispered, slightly awed at the girl's ability. "My teammates--"

"Are already taken care of," Ken affirmed. "Bound, gagged, and useless."

The enemy's eyes widened at the realization as he glanced at the real Hyuuga. He saw what he had so grossly overlooked then: the clone did not have the Byakugan. It had never displayed the actual clan trait. He should have known! When the Hyuuga clone looked into the forest, it was simply verifying from that the two Iwa-genin had been taken care of by the two Leaf-nin in hiding.

"You have this under control, Kushina?" Arashi murmured, his palm outstretched in front of him. The Rock-nin's eyes remained on the Hyuuga though he could see the slight nod of red hair from next to him.

Had they been acting this entire time—since the first phase? A ruse for him to let his guard down? "So it was all an act?"

The three Leaf-nin said nothing as knowing looks passed between them. It was all the answer that the Rock-nin needed. It was his confirmation. He had let his guard down, hoping to prey on the weak. The vulnerable.

He had been the prey all along.

He had been duped.

"A girl," the Iwa-genin murmured, his tone derisive. How could he have possibly been fooled by this girl's clones?

"No place for women?" Kushina mocked from beside him, her eyes flashing angrily as she repeated his earlier words. "I'll make you eat those words, _boy_."

She quickly removed her hand from her back pocket, five tiny shuriken neatly tucked between her fingers. In a blur of movement, she flicked her arm through the air, deftly unleashing the weapons. Her hands forcefully pressed together as she moved through the familiar signs, summoning her wind chakra to guide the star-shaped blades. The Rock shinobi attempted to counter, unleashing an attack of his own. The ground rumbled and ripped apart as a wall of earth grew skyward and protected him from her shurken--which lodged into the hardened wall. Kushina had been prepared for an Earth attack, recognizing the jutsu used by the Iwa-nin. Arashi had been adamant about discussing it after their encounter following the written exam. The Hyuuga had anticipated that this genin would seek them out, hoping to steal their scroll...or perhaps worse.

Kushina's hands continued to dance, "Exploding Wind Shuriken!"

The tiny stars swirled with energy as the wind pressure began to build. The explosion cut through the air as stone rained around her. The dust was thick, and her vision was obscured by the gritty mixture of air and earth. She squinted, her eyes catching the brief glint of sunlight on metal only moments before a kunai plunged out from the dust cloud. She ducked beneath it, quickly spinning low to the ground and kicking the boy's feet out from under him. As he fell, she landed a solid high-kick to his ribs, which crunched beneath her boot as he was sent flying backward. His body limply connected with a thick tree trunk, sliding down it before he hastily attempted to push himself to his feet.

"Too slow," Kushina growled as she jumped to her feet, using her forefingers to release her trench knives from their holders. They spun around her fingertips before she gripped them in her palm, the blades facing outward. She did not allow him time to respond, running toward him as the chakra collected in her blades.

"Ganchūrō no Jutsu!" the boy growled, his breath ragged as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Kushina leaped aside, expecting an attack, but she was met with none. Ken's long slew of profanities caused her to turn around, only to find her teammates surrounded by a giant pillar prison. Arashi was determinedly studying the pillars while Ken gripped them angrily, his curses filled with vehemence.

"Your friends won't be able to help you now," the Iwa boy sneered as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. "I may have underestimated you before, but it won't happen again."

"You better kick his ass, Kushina! Or I'll never forgive you!" Ken howled as he pounded his fist on their prison.

The Iwa-nin took advantage of the minute distraction, sending a giant stone pillar hurtling toward Kushina. Though she tried to dodge it, her speed didn't prevent her from the earthen barrage. The pillar hit her squarely in the abdomen, forcing the air to whistle from her lungs as it passed through her lips. She flew through the air, sliding along the ground as her trench knives were cast aside. She attempted to return to her feet, gasping a few times in an attempt to replace what precious oxygen she had lost. The scene around her was growing a hazy, fuzzy black.

The green-eyed boy glared at her through narrowed lids, his hands continuing to make signs. "Earth Corridor."

Darkness immediately surrounded Kushina as the earth tore apart and grew upward. She glanced toward the sky in time to see the heavy rock sealing off both her air supply and the outside world. She attempted to stand, but her legs were weak from the attack. She could feel blood trickling down her right leg, obviously from the gash on her thigh. She reached out with unsteady hands, feeling her way around the cramped cold enclosure. Her throat tightened as she began to become slightly claustrophobic in her earthen prison. She put her ear against the stone, but she could only hear the still silence of nothingness. She had been cut off from her friends and the outside.

Kushina pounded her fist against the hardened earth as she spat a few well-deserved profanities. She could use her explosive tags, but she would only put herself in harm's way in such a small space. Her wind blades were nowhere to be found, most likely lost outside on the forest floor. Her friends were imprisoned as well; they could not possibly help her. She reached down, realizing that the scroll was still around her waist. Surely the Iwa-nin would have to release her to obtain the item, would he not? Or did he intend to suffocate her first?

"Think, Kushina," she muttered to herself, suddenly feeling the panic rise in her throat. "Just think! What did Arashi say Earth was weak against?" She paced some more, furious that she hadn't paid better attention to her teammate's words. Maybe Minato was right.....

"Dammit!" she howled, punching the stone prison, immediately crying out as the pain seared through her knuckles. She sucked on the sore knuckle as she continued to think. _Arashi had said lightning, definitely! _

"If lightning is weak against wind, and it beats Earth...."

Would _wind beat earth? _

She was grappling at straws, she knew, but she was aware that her trench knives could slice through stone. So, could she muster enough concentrated chakra to do the same to the prison around her? Would the new jutsu that Hitoshi taught her work here? She raised her hand to the wall, praying that her friends were faring better than her. She decided that all of her training on focusing her chakra couldn't possibly fail her.

Not now.

***

* * *

***

"Kushina!" Ken screamed, his fingers clenching the stone pillars. His nails dug into the granite.

"Calm yourself," Arashi warned, his eyes focused on the Iwa genin. The green-eyed youth was currently leaning over and coughing up what looked to be large quantities of blood._ Kushina has punctured his lung. It'll buy us time,_ the Hyuuga mused.

"That's it! I'm using exploding tags," Ken reached into his pouch, his fingers frantically searching.

"No," Arashi murmured, looking skyward.

"No?" Ken repeated, confused. "And why the hell not?"

"Because you'll kill both of us."

"Oh." He hadn't thought about _that_.

Ken glanced around; it was a small encasement. There was no way he could get away with blowing a few pillars up without harming them. They could barely stretch their arms completely away from their sides without touching the other side of the prison. _No, that would not do._

"Then what do you suggest, Oh Mighty One?" Ken's fingers stopped their hunt as his voice became increasingly impatient.

"We go up."

"Up?" Ken echoed stupidly.

Arashi's eyes were closed as he clasped his hands together. Without so much as a word, he leaped upward, his feet clinging to the pillar as the chakra glued the two entities together. Arashi stood semi-upright, his ankles bent at odd angles. He quickly leaped to the others side, higher than the previous one, as his knees bent so that he did not hit his head. He continued his ascent making his progress one leap at a time. When he had reached the top of the pillars, he glanced down at Ken. A slight smile flashed across his face before he leaped into the trees.

"I'll be damned," Ken whistled in amazement at Arashi's craftiness. _He _would have never thought of it. "Fucking smart ass."

He glanced at his enemy, who was still vomiting up whatever blood he had swallowed. Ken knew that he would have to make his move as well--and quickly. They still had to save Kushina before she ran out of air.

"Sorry, Kushina, he's not just your enemy anymore," Ken whispered as he closed his eyes and focused his chakra. Besides, he couldn't let the Hyuuga show him up, after all.

***

* * *

***

The Iwa-genin wiped his mouth, the pain subsiding along with the waves of nausea though breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. He knew he had a few broken ribs and most likely a punctured lung.

"Damn girl," he hissed under his breath. "I need that scroll and to release my teammates." He glanced up, suddenly noticing that the one Leaf-nin were missing from the prison. The other one was flailing frantically as he tried to run up the pillars. "What the--"

He could feel the presence behind him, quickly turning to find the lavender-eyed boy watching him, the veins around his eyes bulging. The Iwa-nin reached for a kunai, immediately being tapped on the wrist by Arashi. It was only a two-fingered blow, but the pain was excruciating. His fingers released the sharp weapon, and it fell to the ground with a dull thud. Arashi ducked under the punch that came from the other hand, reaching upward with the same two-fingered blow. It didn't hurt as badly--only stunning the Rock-nin.

"Pansy ass hit," the boy sneered as he clasped his hands together.

""Doton--" he began, suddenly realizing that something was..._off_. His eyes widened as the Hyuuga cruelly smirked.

"Won't work," the Leaf-nin warned, his open-palmed hand stretching outward.

The enemy jerked aside, dodging the blow by millimeters. "What did you do?" the Iwa-nin croaked, feeling helpless without the comfort of his ninjutsu.

"Cut off your chakra flow," Arashi explained, stepping backward and taking a defensive stance.

"That doesn't mean you won, you prick!" the green-eyed boy growled. He slowly pulled one of Kushina's chakra knives from his belt. The Hyuuga jumped back from a slicing attack as the Rock genin closed in on him. It was obvious that the enemy had no idea how to use the trench knives to their full potential.

"Your friend will most likely have suffocated by now. I hope you said your goodbyes." Green eyes flashed their glee.

Arashi said nothing as he glanced at the huge, earthen dome. His eyes darted to the prison, where he could see Ken struggling to summon enough chakra control to escape. Arashi knew that Ken had been the only one that had been unable to reach the top of the tree during their training exercise, and he also knew how hard the weapons master had taken it when Kushina had surpassed him--as she was the most unskilled in chakra control. The red-head had come a long way, and Arashi had no doubt that she would not succumb so easily to the trap laid by the Rock genin. Besides, he could see her blinding chakra through the stone enclosure. She was definitely far from death.

"I do not think that's her fate," Arashi replied coldly, his pale eyes flickering back to his enemy. His hand slowly rose, the palm facing outward.

The Iwa-nin chuckled. "You really are stupid."

Arashi did not allow himself to be goaded, waiting patiently for the boy to charge at him. He ducked under a slice to his neck, spinning in a low kick. The Iwa-nin leaped backward, and Arashi took the opening to deal his intended blow. In rapid succession, his fingertips hit the vital points, quickly doing their damage before the Iwagakure genin could recover. As his final act, the Hyuuga slapped an open palm against his enemy's chest, knocking his green-eyed opponent backward.

The Rock-nin stumbled a few steps, his eyes wide as he felt the popping sensation inside his chest. "You--"

Blood trickled from his mouth as he fell onto his haunches, staring in wide-eyed horror as Arashi angrily glared at him. The pale-eyed genin took a few steps, quickly pulling the trench knife from the Iwa-genin's grip.

"This does not belong to you," Arashi growled under his breath.

The Rock ninja's eyelids fluttered open before he collapsed onto his side, his arms limp as he hit the earth.

"I...lost.." he whispered before his eyes slowly drifted closed.

Arashi stood, staring down at his opponent while saying a momentary prayer for the enemy before him. The Leaf-nin didn't have much time to consider what he'd done as the sound of an explosion tore through the air. Gravel spattered about, and Arashi raised his arm to shield his face from the granite storm. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as the dust settled, telling him what his Byakugan already knew.

Kushina stood, leaning over and breathing heavily as the sweat matted her hair to her face. Her mouth was open as she gulped in the air, lazily raising her eyes to meet Arashi's before they quickly darted toward the Iwa-nin on the ground. She closed her eyes, still panting while her chest heaved with the effort.

Arashi located the other trench knife, slowly picking it up from where it had embedded into the ground. He could feel the slight pulsation of leftover chakra in the handles.

"M-mine...." Kushina gasped, her hands outstretched. "...give 'em.....to..m-me." Arashi said nothing as he mutely dropped the items into her outstretched hand. She lowered her arm, staring at the collapsed form in front of her. She pointed at the Iwa-nin. "Him...t-too....was mine," she took a deep breath. "Not..fair."

"I didn't think we had the time to be choosy," Arashi murmured. "How'd you get out?"

"Concentration."

Arashi raised an eyebrow as he studied his teammate. She was barely scathed, aside from where her body had been dragged along the ground. Had she been able to pool her chakra around her body, creating enough wind force to explode the sealed prison from the inside? He was impressed with how much she had grown in the past month, and this was testimony to that fact. Her control had improved in both precision and accuracy.

"Wave Palm," she explained when she caught her breath. She eyed the Iwa-nin warily.

"You've been practicing that..I didn't know you had mastered it," Arashi answered, visibly impressed.

"I just did," she grumbled, wiping her forehead with her arm. "Took a coupla tries though." Arashi nodded, glancing down at her swollen hands. He expected that it would take a few attempts in order to be able to pummel that enclosure so that it burst into a pile of rubble. He knew that she had most likely worried about the two of them, which helped her cause to escape.

"Where's Ken?" Kushina asked, her head snapping around.

"Still in there," Arashi pointed.

"Eh?" Kushina replied as spied Ken slumping against the prison pillars. She shielded her eye with her hand. "What are you doing in there, you idiot?"

Ken jumped at the sound of her voice, quickly peering through the bars to verify the source. A lopsided grin spread across his face."Kushina! You OK?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she waved. "But why are you still in there?" Ken said nothing, his face becoming pink.

"Need help?" she asked, her chakra knives tucked into her palms.

"No! Don't even think about it--" Ken backed away from the railing, immediately understanding Kushina's intent.

"You'll kill me!" he squealed in terror when she did not back down.

Instead of an answer, Kushina unleashed two minute blades from her knives. They flew high, cutting through the pillars above Ken's head. He dropped onto the the ground, covering his head with his arms. When nothing else happened, his meekly peeked between his forearms.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Kushina asked, impatiently tapping her foot as her hands found their usual spot on her hips. Ken looked up, realizing that Kushina had freed him. He stared at her in wide-eyed awe. When had her precision become so astute? When had she surpassed him in fine-tuning her chakra control?

"Oh quit looking at me like that!" she snapped. "You're still the deadliest with your weapons. Just allow me this."

Ken's jaw thrust out at the praise. She was right: _they were different_. He glanced at Arashi, who nodded his agreement. Ken pushed himself to his feet, nimbly leaping over the sliced pillars and landing a few feet away from the Iwa-nin's body. "Is he--" Ken began.

"Dead? No. At least not yet," Arashi admitted. "His heart is just slowed. If he stays like this, then yes, he won't last long. I expect the Hokage is aware of it and will send someone."

"Huh?" Kushina asked, as she reached down and removed the scroll from the boy's belt. She tossed it to Ken, who quickly recovered all signs of vitality.

He waved the scroll in the air, speaking to the unconscious victim. "Thanks, dickhead."

He flipped the scroll in his hands, before handing it to Arashi. "We should keep these separated, so no one knows we have two. Just in case."

"Good strategy," Arashi nodded, his smile grim. He glanced at Kushina, who was staring at the collapsed Iwa-nin. "Nice use of your clones, Kushina."

"Thanks," Kushina nodded, the adrenaline slowly leaving her veins. She was surprised to find that she had actually hoped their fight would have been more eventful--that she would have been able to do more. She turned away from the Rock genin, feeling somewhat sorry for duping him. It had all been a game, and they were in it to win. Arashi fell into stride next to her, as Ken trailed behind.

"Yeah, but can we talk about how you portrayed _me_?" Ken whined.

"Shut up," Kushina snapped.

"I would _never _say 'over my dead body'! Especially over that Hyuuga's safety," he pointed out. "You're ruining my reputation, here!"

Kushina ignored his pleas, though catching a glimpse of Arashi's well-hidden smirk. Ken continued groaning about how Kushina's poor represenation as they sped through the forest. Twenty minutes later, Ken was still going strong. Kushina had finally retorted with a well-placed punch, slamming Ken to the forest floor. After that, he never mentioned it again.

***

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***

Apparently, obtaining both scrolls did not help their sense of direction. Team Five had wasted nearly two more days before reaching the center of the Forest. After the various creatures they encountered, the foreboding building looked welcoming.

"Oh thank the heavens," Ken muttered as they approached.

Kushina smiled, as did Arashi. She felt a sudden burst of energy at their renewed sense of accomplishment. She looked at her team. Despite their weariness and lack of nourishment, they had done all of this together.

"Let's go, guys!" Kushina grinned, as she pushed herself ahead. "Whoever's last--"

A loud howl tore through the air. Ken turned around, bewildered at the inhumane sound. Arashi activated his Byakugan, the pupils of his eyes becoming a milky lavender. A second howl followed the first, followed by a screeching yelp. Kushina felt her heart begin to beat faster, as if it were going to jump out of her chest.

"What the hell is that?" Ken asked under his breath. "Sounds like--"

"Kuromaru," Kushina whispered. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled with premonition as the atmosphere grew deathly silent. It was foreboding. Kushina could feel the crushing sensation of intense fear spreading across her chest. If Kuromaru was injured, then.....

"Huh? Who's that?" Ken asked.

"Inuzuka Tsume's dog-nin," Arashi answered, his eyes narrowed as he tried to extend his Byakugan field. "I-I can't see."

"Eh," Ken shrugged, "not our problem. Let's go, we made it!"

He turned to walk toward the tower. Arashi hesitantly followed. After a few moments, Ken turned to find Kushina still facing the forest, her fists clenched at her sides as her eyes scanned the dark shadows of the Forest of Death.

"Kushina?" Arashi murmured, his tone unsure. Kushina turned to look at her teammates, her eyes pleading. She didn't speak as her hair whipped around her face. Dirt had long ago crusted on her cheeks and neck. She was filthy. They all were. Despite that, her blue eyes spoke volumes that she would never ask of them.

"You know we can't go in there if we don't have a complete team," Ken groaned, already knowing what Kushina was intending.

"She's my friend. The first friend I made here, Ken. I'm sorry," Kushina whispered, her eyes begging her teammates to understand. Ken sighed, shaking his head softly. Arashi nodded, understanding the silent exchange. The former looked at the sky, silently cursing himself for what he was about to say.

"We still have time," he rolled his eyes, knowing he would regret those words. He glanced over his shoulder at the tower, saying his silent goodbye to their chance at greatness. At their chance of becoming Chunin.

Kushina's blue eyes widened with surprise as a smile spread across her lips. "Thank y--"

Ken held up a hand, his eyes gloomy with disappointment. "Quit wastin' it and lead the way, dammit!"

Within seconds, the three genin had left their potential future behind them, hurtling into the forest in hopes that they would make it in time for whatever doomed fate awaited the Inuzuka girl. As well as whatever fate may hold for them.


	12. Chunin Exams: Part Two, Complete

**Hello, hello! Hope you enjoy this new chapter. Welcome to my new (and old) readers and reviewers. I love hearin' from ya! Please, always feel free to let me know what you think! Oh, and as for the manga, did Kiba not have an awesome retort to Naruto in regards to Naruto's whining about Sasuke? Loved it!**

**Happy Reading! Enjoy!**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. _

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Kushina pushed ahead, her lungs burning as the muscles in her legs screamed from the strain. Her mouth was filled with the metallic taste of her exertion as her heart thundered in her ears. Ken and Arashi were close behind, the latter using his Byakugan to direct the tired team.

_Tsume!_ Kushina's mind screamed between the deafening roar of blood in her ears.

She knew that if Kuromaru were injured, she wouldn't find Tsume in much better shape. Kushina knew that they hadn't been prepared for the fact that some of the foreign teams had no qualms with murdering just to achieve chunin-level status. It sickened her to realize that there were kids her age who had already killed; the blood of their enemy spilled on their hands, forever changing them. The genin from other countries were fierce and unforgiving, and Kushina's team had to be prepared for the worst. Even as genin of the Leaf—arguably the strongest nation—they were not mentally hardened for a fight to kill.

Sure, they had been on missions, but those assignments were mostly low-ranking escort missions or clean up jobs. The only thing Kushina had ever killed was a rabbit, and that was purely by accident. She had cried for days after that incident, though she would never admit it to anyone.

No, Kushina had never truly had the vitality to kill another human. Right now, though, in the face of Tsume's situation, she was ready to maim whoever has laid a hand on her friend. And if they dared to do worse....then Kushina was ready to kill.

_Don't think about such things! _she inwardly hissed to herself. _Don't!_

"Kushina, about two meters west of here," Arashi murmured, his Byakugan leading the way as they leaped from branch to branch, barely making a sound.

"Are we even sure what we are up against?" Ken huffed from somewhere behind, his feet softly hitting a branch.

Arashi's lids narrowed as he concentrated, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple. "There are six, plus the dog. Two of which are not moving."

Ken nervously glanced at Kushina as he directed his question toward Arashi, "So...you can't tell who's injured?" Though he didn't say it, Kushina knew that he was thinking that Tsume may have possibly been disposed of.

"I'll kill them!" Kushina snarled as she ignored the searing pain in her calves as she quickened her pace.

"Oh shit, she's pissed," Ken grumbled, balking at his previous question. Arashi said nothing, continuing to lead from afar.

When they had practically reached their coordinates, Arashi gave the signal and the three genin hid high in the trees, peering through the leaves at the forest floor. Kushina could see the two forms sprawled on the ground near the tree base. One was Arashi's cousin, Kushina remembered. Blood was oozing from his nose—which looked like it was broken, and it looked as if a few teeth had been knocked out as well.

Kushina glanced at Arashi, who said nothing, though the muscle in his jaw twitched as he looked over his kin. "Is he--?"

"No." Arashi whispered, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the tree limb. "But I'm surprised that he was taken down so easily."

"He has the Byakugan as well, no?" Kushina whispered, her eyes watching the subtle rise and fall of the Hyuuga's chest.

Arashi nodded, "And he is much stronger than me. This is a surprise, indeed."

"Hey, even the strongest can be easily defeated. The element of surprise is their greatest enemy," Ken offered.

It was true, and Kushina knew it. Tsume was strong—one of the best damned genin in the village. With Kuromaru, she may very well be the strongest. The Inuzuka was Kushina's greatest opponent, though neither had outwardly admitted their silent competition.

"The other one.." Arashi murmured, his eyes narrowing. "He's not breathing."

"Damn," Ken shook his head, his heart pounding as his eyes settled on the first casualty he had ever seen. The third teammate, a boy his age, was raggedly sprawled on the ground, his neck bent at an odd angle. The genin's dark brown mop was in disarray, long strands of hair had long come loose from the low-hanging ponytail. Blood had pooled around his head, matting his hair to his forehead--hiding his face from view. Kushina saw the blood spattered on a nearby jagged rock, guessing the genin's demise.

"He's dead," Kushina whispered, her fingers trembling as they silently snaked toward her chakra blades. This was about to become a fight for their life, she knew. Whoever they were dealing with was not to be underestimated.

They would have to watch each other's backs.

***

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***

"You motherfucker! Get your fuckin' hands off of him!" Tsume's screech was scathing as her chest heaved.

Her eyes darted toward her teammates—both of whom were unconscious. She felt the bile rise in the throat as she saw the dark pool of blood silently spreading along the ground. A handful of arrogant laughs were her only retort. Her slit-like irises crept back toward her enemies, as the bald genin squeezed Kuromaru tightly in his fist.

"Let him go. Now!" she hissed, crouching down on all fours as she felt the chakra pool distribute to each of her limbs. She could feel her fingernails growing into talon-like claws as she prepared to attack.

"This?" the bald-genin laughed as the light glinted off of his head and hitai'ite. Tsume seared the symbol for Sand into her brain. She would never forget it.

"_This_?" the Sunagakure genin repeated, waving his fist as Kuromaru struggled against the iron grip.

"Let. Him. Go," Tsume could feel her incisors growing as her rage boiled over.

As if he could feel her emotions, Kuromaru bit the Sand-nin's hand. Droplets of blood oozed from the puncture as the genin screamed profanities, his kunai-weilding hand quickly swiping at the dog. Tsume caught the flutter of something soft as it hit the ground. She could smell Kuromaru's blood. The hair-covered triangular piece of flesh on the ground, and the gaping wound on Kuromaru's head confirmed her fears.

"You bastards!" she barked, as Kuromaru's squeals reached her ears.

A second genin laughed as he retrieved the blood-matted item from the ground, his mask hiding his smirk. He waved it in his hand, before throwing it toward Tsume. "Here's your memento, trash!"

The dam that had held her rage boiled over, and Tsume lurched forward, her limbs carrying her as she charged her enemies. Before she could pick up the speed she needed for her solo Piercing Fang attack, two strong arms flung her skyward. She flailed in the air before hitting with the ground, her body momentarily stunned as her anger thudded in her ears.

"Easy enough," the third genin mused, clapping his hands together in completion as he stared down at his opponent. His speed surpassed his teammates, and he reveled at being able to quash her attack so easily.

"Looks like maiming her dog pissed her off," he added, his fingers tracing over the goggles on the nest of mustard-colored hair.

Tsume spit at the genin, snarling at him as she pushed herself onto her knees. Dual Piercing Fang would be a much more effective attack, but without Kuromaru, she was at a disadvantage against the three Sand-nin. She had little chakra reserves and hopelessness was slowly setting in. She wasn't gifted at elemental jutsu like Kushina or Yoshino—instead relying on her dog-nin to aid her in combat. Without Kuromaru, she was helpless, and she hated the feeling of knowing that she couldn't help him when he needed it the most. She watched Kuromaru whine as he saw her struggle against her three opponents.

_I'm sorry, Kuromaru_, she silently apologized.

"Your dog was a fun toy, but now we're bored," the bald genin laughed as Kuromaru, sensing Tsume's distress, tried to break free a second time. Tsume's eyes trailed toward the severed ear on the ground in front of her. She unsteadily pushed herself to her feet as Kuromaru's growls gave her a new surge of energy. She would save him, even if it cost her life.

"I told you to put him down, you assholes," Tsume hissed, wiping the blood and spittle from the side of her mouth. She was not graceful or attractive with her attacks, but she was strong. And right now, she needed her strength. For Kuromaru.

"This damned dog won't settle down!" the hairless Sand-nin complained, squeezing the animal more tightly. His masked teammate sighed, rolling his eyes as he flipped a kunai in his palm, quickly slicing his arm through the air as he turned around.

Tsume screeched furiously as Kuromaru's blood sprayed onto the bald genin's face. Even he hadn't been expecting the move, his eyes wide with shock. The large gash across the dog's left eye was gaping, and Tsume could see the bone underneath. She immediately knew that Kuromaru would most likely never have use of that eye again. Tsume ferociously roared as she knelt down on all fours. Her claws and fangs once again being unleashed as she prepared to fight back—even if the odds were against her.

"Let him go," she growled, her voice a low rumble. Blood oozed from a gash in her side. She felt no pain from the open wound, her only care for her dog.

"We aren't done having fun, are we?" the masked boy cooed as he tugged at the dog's other ear. Kuromaru's right eye rolled in its socket, as he silently pleaded for Tsume to escape. The genin tugged harder, causing a howl to escape from the dog.

With an animalistic shriek, Tsume rushed toward the captors on all fours. Just like before, the same genin quickly interceded. This time, he scooped Tsume up by her neck. The dark-haired kunoichi gagged as her eyes bulged from her head. The shinobi glared at her, his fingers gripping her throat more tightly. The masked Sand-nin unsheathed a short blade from behind his teammate, holding it above the partially blind Kuromaru threateningly.

"We're bored, so the game's over. Time to say goodbye," the goggled genin whispered as Tsume's claws raked at his wrist. Her mouth opened and closed liked a fish as she gasped for air, her eyes frantically rolling in her head. The Sunagakure ninja threw her backward, her body limply flying through the air.

_Kuromaru!_

"Kuromaru.." she gasped as everything began to grow black. She prepared herself to hit the ground, but the impact never came. Instead, she was answered by the deep screams of a man....no, a _boy._

With a wheezing gasp for air, her vision began to return. Tsume recognized the feeling of warm arms embracing her body as she hysterically and instinctively began to thrash around in hopes of rescuing Kuromaru.

"Kuromaru!" she screeched.

"Please calm down, Tsume-san," Arashi murmured softly, hoping he could calm the Inuzuka kunoichi. He slowly lowered her to the ground, repeating his words.

"Huh?" Tsume gaped, blinking rapidly as she attempted to orient herself. Two lavender eyes returned her confused stare. She recalled the blood-curdling male scream only moments before, and her head snapped toward the Sand-nin.

"I didn't expect you'd be taken out so easily," came the familiar voice.

Tsume blinked, realizing that her line of sight was obstructed by a pair of pale, spindly legs. Her eyes trailed up the legs, recognizing the long, red hair that hung down the girl's back as she protectively crouched in front of Tsume. Her arms cradled something in front of her as she quickly replaced her bloodied blades with one hand.

"Kushina?" Tsume rasped, her throat raw from her screams. She immediately remembered her partner's imminent danger. "Kuromaru!"

"He's fine, don't worry," Kushina murmured, her back toward her friend and her head downcast.

Tsume gasped as she saw the limp body of Kuromaru in her friend's arms. Her eyes darted to the offending genin. The bald one was on the ground, his shoulder bleeding profusely, and the other—the one wearing the mask—was leaning over, heaving as he held his hand tightly, his eyes squeezed shut. Tsume said nothing, quickly reaching to take Kuromaru into her arms as the tears sprung to her eyes. She briefly took notice of the blood spattered over Kushina's hands and face.

"You son of a bitch!" the masked Sand-nin screamed as he glared wildly at Kushina and Arashi, clamping his injured hand with his good one. His bandana was slowly slipping off of his head as he shouted, his face becoming increasingly red as the veins bulged in his forehead.

"An eye for an eye would have been more suitable," came Ken's voice as he nimbly landed next to Kushina. His teeth were bared as he sneered at the three genin. "I see she was too easy on you."

The weapon's master nodded toward the severed fingers that were lying on the ground at the masked genin's feet. The third ninja—the one that had strangled Tsume, paled in realization of his teamates' demise.

"I'll fucking kill you," came the maimed genin's barking voice as he snarled his threat. Sweat was running down his face. "You'll regret interfering."

Ken shrugged his indifference, glancing at Tsume and Kuromaru. "Ready, Kushina?"

His voice was low as his face paled at the sight of the dog. Its black fur was matted with blood, and the flesh where its ear was had stopped bleeding, now slowly oozing from the wound. His eyes widened in amazement as Tsume gathered chakra into her hands. It softly pulsated as she held it over the dog-nin's eyes. He had no idea she was gifted in veterinary jutsu.

"Ready," Kushina affirmed, tearing her eyes from Tsume and Kuromaru, her former anger returning. Ken nodded, understanding her feelings. Despite the minor competition between the kunoichi, Ken knew that Kushina cared deeply for the woman who was like the red-head's sister. He could understand _that _feeling.

"Shit, move!" Kushina hissed, her eyes growing round as she caught the hand signs the third genin was subtly performing.

He quickly unsheathed two long blades, easily flipping them through the air as blasts of wind gathered on them. Kushina had noticed the wind damage on the surrounding foliage. That, combined with the familiar signals were enough to promptly force her to counter the attack.

"Wind Cutter Technique!" Kushina murmured, quickly flying through the familiar signs before pulling her blades from her waist. With a flick of her wrists, she cut through the the enemy's wind attack. The goggled genin's blast fell short, only managing to pull a few leaves from the nearby trees.

Ken gaped at her. "H-How--?"

"Not now, dammit, just do your thing!" she growled in both fear and anticipation. Ken immediatly recovered, his hands easily manipulating through the familiar signs, completing the conjunctive jutsu.

"Katon: Hibashiri!" he roared, as giant flames burst forward at his summoning.

Sweat beaded on his head as he fought to control the giant wall of fire. Kushina summoned her own wind jutsu, combining it with Ken's—as they had practiced so many times before. Her wind would supplement his fire, while he controlled and molded the shape. The fire quickly shot away from them, roaring along the ground and surrounding the three Sand shinobi in a matter of seconds. Kushina summoned a greater force of wind, fanning the flames as they lapped at the sky, reaching above the genins' heads.

The third genin—the one with the wind-based attack, inspected the flame wall. "This is it?" he asked suspiciously. "We can leap over this, you fools!"

"Not so fast!" Ken smirked, his hands against the ground.

"You won't be going anywhere," Kushina replied abruptly, her arms crossed over her chest as Ken rose from his crouched position.

"Our diversion worked perfectly," Ken agreed, clapping his hands together. "You fell right into our trap."

"Trap?" the masked genin's eyes widened in surprise.

"Right now," Ken began to explain, triumph in his voice, "you probably wish to remain still. It would be best....if you wish to keep your legs, that is."

The two standing genin looked at their feet in unison, noticing Ken's true intent for the first time. Their heads disappeared as they bent down.

"No, uh uh!" Ken tsked, complete with a finger wave. "They'll explode if you try to remove them."

Wary fingers instantly drew away from the explosive tags covering their legs as they wondered how they had not noticed the attack earlier? "What--" the masked genin croaked.

"The fire attack was simply to distract you from the tags I was streaming toward you. But, now that you've fallen prey, you're stuck. If you try to remove them....BOOM!" Ken re-enacted what would happen, a hint of triumph in his voice.

Loud profanities tore through the forest as the Sand-nin realized their fault. Ken and Kushina turned to face Tsume and Arashi, confident they had disposed of the enemy for the time being. Arashi was looking over the two bodies of Tsume's teammates.

"Higashi is alive, but your other teammate--" Arashi murmured, his pupil-less eyes solemn as he spoke.

"I know," Tsume whispered, her hands stained red from Kuromaru's fur. Tears began to fill her eyes. "Those bastards attacked us. When they found out we didn't have the scroll they needed, they didn't let up!"

Her trembling hands wandered to her waist, where she pulled out a tiny pill. She slipped into Kuromaru's mouth, "Come on, boy!"

The blood pill disappeared, followed by a sigh of relief from Tsume as she wiped her forehead. Kushina cringed as she realized the swelling around Tsume's left eye. She wouldn't be surprised if the kunoichi's nose was broken as well. Her red tattoos were hidden by the blood she had just smeared across her face.

"Thank you," Tsume whispered, her blood stained fingers leaving prints on her cheeks. "For saving Kuromaru."

"Hey, just because it's an exam doesn't mean we aren't comrades," Ken insisted, eyeing the dog-nin's injuries. "Is he gonna be alright?"

"I just gave him a blood pill," Tsume explained, "I was able to stop the bleeding with my chakra. It'll be good enough until we get to the tower."

"Oh shit!" Ken groaned, glancing around them. "We only have ten minutes left!"

"You have two scrolls?" Tsume looked longingly at Kushina. The red-head nodded.

"Fucking damn," the Inuzuka murmured to herself, casting a glance toward her teammates. "I knew you'd do it."

"I can carry Higashi, if you'll help Tsume," Arashi instructed Kushina. "Ken—leave the other."

"No!" Tsume gasped. "He—no, you can't goddamned leave him!"

"Fine," Ken sighed, eyeing the corpse sorrowfully. "I'll carry him, but let's just get going!"

Tsume attempted to stand, holding Kuromaru in her arms like a child while the two boys attempted to retrieve Tsume's' teammates.

"I'm sorry, Tsume--" Kushina started, not sure if Tsume would appreciate the sympathy or frown upon it.

"Aw, forget it—you saved both of us, that was enough," Tsume whispered weakly, watching Ken pull the lifeless body of her teammate from the ground. Her eyes watered as she silently mourned.

"Those bastards will pay for what they did!" Kushina growled.

"Will they?" Tsume turned to look at her, her eyes glistening. "It was a risk we knew we were taking to participate in this damned exam!"

The kunoichi glanced at her dog-nin, her brown hair in disarray. Kushina noticed that clumps were missing. What had those genin done to them? She felt the anger lashing at her insides. How could they be so cruel? It was a damned test! No one needed to die! Kushina silently threw Tsume's arm over her shoulder as the two kunoichi wordlessly sped toward the tower. Kushina hoped that whatever was in that tower could provide the medical attention to Tsume and her surviving teammate—as well as Kuromaru.

"I owe you my life," Tsume growled under her breath, gasping at the pain that seared through her leg.

"Don't mention it," Kushina replied in kind. "It's what we do, as ninjas. We protect one another."

"It's what we do as friends," Tsume whispered, barely audible._ Protect one another. _

Somehow, the promise seemed so dismal.

Kushina didn't know Tsume's third teammate well. She barely knew Higashi—other than the fact that he was Arashi's cousin. But, still, she felt a deep emptiness at Tsume's comrade's untimely death. It was horrifying. She knew that this would be what she would witness as a kunoichi. She could only swallow the fear and continue to move forward. If she didn't, she would never become stronger.

She must embrace death. Welcome it, even.

***

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***

Team Five sped toward the tower with Tsume, Higashi and their teammate in tow. Ken was muttering how much time they had left under his breath, never once allowing the rest to hear in fear that they would think he was insensitive. Truth was, he was disturbed at having to tote a dead body through the forest. The shinobi landed at the front gates of the tower, all were out of breath and exhausted.

A large explosion tore through the forest, as Team Five and Tsume glanced behind them, looking toward the source.

"Oops," Ken grunted casually, "Forgot to tell them about the perimeter I set up. Probably thought it was safe to move since the fire faded."

Tsume stared in wide-eyed awe at Kushina's teammate. He handn't looked like much to worry about, but his stealth and craftiness was not to be toyed with. Kushina shook her head, knowing that Ken had intentionally omitted that information. He had set the perimeter upon their initial attack—it was what had made him late in saving Tsume.

"Shameful," Arashi murmured, though Kushina knew that he did not disagree with Ken's deception. They all felt the same way about the Sunagakure-nin.

It was then that Tsume realized that Kushina's team had what it took to complete this exam. She did not want to be the burden that held them back from completing the task. They had done enough, saving both her and Kuromaru.

"Leave us," Tsume growled suddenly, her eyes downcast.

"Huh?" Kushina asked, noticing how quickly Ken released the body he was carrying. She refused to remove Tsume's arm from around her shoulder, her own arm around the girl's waist.

"You heard me, Uzumaki!" Tsume snapped. "We didn't complete the task, we can't go inside. Just leave us!"

"But--"

"NOW!" Tsume hissed, her eyes wide with anger as her former fire was returning. "You made it, now get the fuck in there! We'll be fine out here, someone will find us shortly. I can smell them."

Kushina glanced at her teammates. Arashi softly lowered Higashi to the ground as his Byakugan scanned the area. He nodded softly.

"Got two minutes," Ken muttered, glancing at his wrist.

"You made it just in time, then," Tsume smiled, the red tattoos on her face crinkling. Kushina was torn as to what to do: abandon her friend or face their success.

"Don't feel guilty, Uzumaki," Tsume interrupted her thoughts. "You saved us, that's more than what others woulda done. We won't forget it, trust me."

Kushina stood, awkwardly shifting on her feet. She opened her mouth to respond, but Tsume pushed her arm from around her waist.

"Now get the fuck outta here!" the Inzuka kunoichi growled, a sharp incisor protruding from her mouth as her eyes softened momentarily. "Get in there and kick some ass!"

Kushina knew that Tsume had so badly wanted to complete the exam, but if she couldn't, then Kushina doing so would be the next best thing. The red-head nodded, a small smile playing across her lips as she understood Tsume's determination in pushing her into the tower.

"Well, guys? What do you say?" she grinned at her teammates.

Ken balled his fist, pulling his arm into his abdomen, saying a silent _yes_. Arashi glanced at his cousin one last time as he, too, smiled his agreement. Team Five said nothing as they stared along the tower's height, leaving Tsume slouched over Kuromaru. Higashi was a few feet away, curled onto his side, his head softly resting on Kushina's jacket. The two boys pushed open the door, the wooden slabs creaking on their hinges. Kushina cast one last look over her shoulder before they disappeared into the tower. She no longer knew what to think, feel or expect. She didn't want to leave Tsume, but she knew that her friend would never forgive her if Kushina lost the exam because of her. Kushina pushed he hair out of her face as she looked ahead, watching her teammates walk in front of her.

Whatever the rest of this exam held, they would face it. Together.

***

* * *

***

Ken pushed the doors open to the center room. It was a large arena, where the other genin were gathered.

They had just been congratulated by their sensei, who had appeared when they opened the two scrolls. He gave some long-winded speech that none of them, save Arashi, listened to. Kushina had actually fallen asleep, bringing on one of Hitoshi's tirades. She had managed to sleep through that as well. The jonin had eventually given up, realizing that they three needed rest, as they obviously fought their way through hell to reach the tower.

"How many teams made it?" Kushina whispered as she looked around the room. She saw no signs of Yoshino anywhere. Kushina had thought that her team would make it, surely.

There were a few Leaf teams. Shikaku's team had managed to make it through, as did a team with Arashi's other cousin, Hiashi. Kushina wondered if he knew what had occurred with his brother. Hyuuga Hiashi's team consisted of a blonde girl that Kushina thought could manipulate plant-based lifeforms. Her family _did _own a flower shop, Kushina reminded herself. She didn't recognize the third teammate, another boy with dark sunglasses.

All-in-all, about eight teams had successfully made it through. Apparently, it was a large number of genin, according to Hitoshi. Though, with the large loss of shinobi in the last war, and the rumblings of a new war, the Hokage was willing to allow more contestants than normal to replenish their forces. Hitoshi had mentioned that they were going to make the exams occur more frequently, as well, in order to help supply troops to each great nation.

_Good, at least Tsume and Yoshino can take them again sooner than they thought_, Kushina told herself as her team lined up next to the other seven. She stood in front, staring out at the large statue. She found it odd that it was simply two hands clasped together.

_Who the hell wants a statue like that? s_he silently wondered. _Probably the Old man's idea.._..

"...the Hokage..."

"...powerful shinobi..."

Kushina could hear the low murmurs stirring around her, and her eyes caught the red swirl of fabric. A few low-pitched plopping sounds later, and Hiruzen was standing in front of the students, surrounded by a small army of jonin and chunin. Hiruzen's eyes slowly trailed over each student, scrutinizing the survivors of the second phase of the Chunin exams. Kushina found herself beaming as his eyes fell on her. His expression did not change as he slowly looked onto the next student. An odd feeling of rejection washed over her at the Hokage's reaction.

_Isn't he happy to see I made it this far? Why didn't he acknowledge me? _she frantically wondered.

"He can't show favoritism," came the soft whisper from behind her. It was Arashi. He must have seen her defeated posture, understanding her feelings of rejection. She wordlessly nodded her head in understanding, though she didn't feel any better. She opened her mouth to say something Hiruzen, but instantly froze when her eyes met Minato's steely blue gaze. He was standing beside the Hokage, his face pulled into a grim expression. As if he knew her intention, he briefly shook his head, his eyes returning to staring straight ahead. Kushina angled her head, confused by the sudden exchange. Was he warning her? She studied his face. Were his cheeks turning pink?

_Don't disrespect the Hokage, _his expression told her.

She suddenly understood, quickly dropping her gaze to the floor. Her fingers slid into her shorts' pocket, where she could feel the still-cool metal of the forehead protector under her skin. It made her feel better. Even if only slightly. She knew that Hiruzen was proud of her, even if he didn't say it aloud. _He_ had encouraged her to enter into the exams, hadn't he? It was true that he couldn't show any hint or recognition, not in front of most of the shinobi population. She was no better than the other contestants.

"There are more of you than we had anticipated," Hiruzen murmured, his fingers absentmindedly tugging on his beard.

"More of us?" Ken echoed, confused.

Hiruzen looked at him and nodded. "Usually, with this many, we would hold preliminary matches. Make you fight each other as you are now--"

"But what if we were injured?" someone else asked. A strawberry blonde girl with a purple uniform. She was part of the Hyuuga's team, Kushina remembered.

"Then you have the choice to forfeit," Minato answered after Hiruzen deferred the question to him.

"But that's unfair!" Choja protested, somehow managing to have a snack to munch on. Kushina's stomach rumbled and she momentarily thought about fighting the larger genin for those chips.

"Life's not fair," the Hokage pointed out. "Not even for a shinobi."

"Sucks." Choja grumbled between handfuls of the salty snack.

"So what will you do now?" Shikaku asked, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked disinterested in the entire process.

"We will allow all of you to pass onto the third phase. You will have a month to prepare--"

"A month? Why not sooner?" a Kumo-genin chirped. A skinny, pimpled youth with crooked teeth.

Again, another look toward Minato. The blonde stepped forward, his expression dark. The Hokage pulled his pipe from his pocket, slowly slipping it between his lips. His eyes closed as he inhaled deeply.

"Because the third phase is most important," Minato explained. "Lords will be coming in from around the country—to assess the quality of the upcoming shinobi. They will judge whether you will become a chunin."

No one said anything for some time, all were nervous as the absorbed the information.

"Why are you suddenly allowing more of us to pass through to the third part?" Kushina asked, after raising her hand slightly. "If it's not normal for you to do..."

Minato said nothing, glancing at the Kage for the answer, though the jonin looked as if he was capable of answering, despite is hesitation. The Hokage nodded softly, indicating that it was safe for Minato to answer that question.

"There is a high suspicion of terroristic activity surrounding the Fire Country," Minato began, his eyes flickering away from hers and dancing over the crowd as his arms crossed over his chest. Murmurs began to buzz around the enclosed arena.

"...another war..."

"...no more fighting..."

"...peace.."

Minato held up a hand, instantly silencing the hopeful candidates.

"It is purely speculation at this point," he looked around, his gaze grave. "But, if it would ever....ever come down to another war, it would be prudent for each country to replete the shinobi lost in the last war."

"So it's purely about numbers," Arashi inferred, his eyes on the floor.

"Again, no one said it was fair," Hiruzen interrupted, clearing his throat. More rumbling murmurs.

"That is enough for now. No more questions, this is not the time to create false concerns," the Hokage sighed, straightening his hat.

"But that's important information!" Kushina protested, her mind wandering to the events that resulted from the last war. Her heart began to pound in fear. She couldn't lose anyone else!

"There is no need two worry, girl," Hiruzen answered slowly, his eyes softening as they fell on her. He understood her concern. "You are safe here."

"But--" she began.

"Enough." the Kage's voice grew firm. Everyone was immediately silenced by his authority. His eyes once again wandered over each and every candidate.

"The matches and your opponents will be chosen at random. You have one month to prepare. Use it wisely. Congratulations and good luck," the Hokage boomed before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

The team leaders remained behind as the handful of jonin and chunin disappeared with the Kage. Kushina could see the looks of concern washing over each contestant's face. No one wanted to know that they were being scouted for infantry.

No one wanted to face the prospect of another war.


	13. The Entitlement of Hierarchy

**Hey there! Sorry it took so long--busy week, new place, etc etc. It's my day off, so I thought I should update instead of studying. Thank **Tosakuai **for that--she's a bad influence on me (if you romance-lovers want some good stories, I recommend checking hers out, that'll cure your romance-tooth until I get to some fluff here!)!!**

**Hope you enjoy the new chapter! Let me know what you think! I love hearing from everyone, even those who haven't reviewed before :D**

***~*Have an awesome weekend and a Happy Easter (if you celebrate it)!*~***

_Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, Kishi does. _

*****

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*****

Kushina laid there, her eyes closed as she listened to the heavy breathing of her teammates. They had completed their last—and most rigorous—training before the third part of the Chunin Exams. There was still one day between them and their upcoming opponents—but Umino Hitoshi had insisted that the group take the day before the exams as a "rest day".

Somewhere, far off in the distance, a bird called out for its mate. The wind softly picked up, caressing Kushina's bare, sweaty skin, teasing goosebumps over her exposed flesh. She could hear Ken rolling over from somewhere to her right. She peeked between heavy lids, finding Ken staring at her, his head resting on his chin. She closed her eyes again, pushing her thoughts away. She had noticed more and more that these moments were occurring. Often, it was a glance that turned into a long stare, or these silent brooding looks. She had chalked much of his competition with Arashi up to his need to validate his masculinity instead of the possibility that he might be showing off for _her _sake.

Kushina couldn't deny that Ken was good-looking—as much as as any young teenager could be. She also knew that both Tsume and Yoshino harbored crushes on the weapons master, though he never paid them any attention, despite complaining about his inability to score a date. Kushina didn't have the time or energy to be concerned with boys, though she couldn't dismiss the fact that the new attention she had been receiving as of late—especially from a few of the Grass-nin—was flattering.

She had always thought of herself as abrasive and awkward, not that anything had changed in _that _department. Kushina knew that things were changing in....._other _areas, namely things that told boys that she was slowly becoming a woman. She could no longer get away with just taping her breasts—now reduced to wearing a fitted bra she purchased from a special shop, Kunoichi Wear. She had giggled, years ago, when she would walk past the shop. Now, though, she cursed herself for having to enter it. Fate was cruel.

Kushina was definitely becoming a woman, and boys were _definitely_ noticing. Her father had always told her that Lady Uzumaki had been one of the most beautiful women in her country, and that her suitors were abundant. Kushina had always thought her mother was lovely—but wasn't that the normal perspective of an adoring child? Looking back, Kushina could finally appreciate her father's words. Would she turn out to look like her mother? Would she be beautiful, by anyone's standards?

_Ugh, quit being such a girl! _she inwardly cringed at her roaming thoughts. She could still feel Ken's eyes on her, forcing her to turn her head to glare at him.

"Whatcha starin' at?" she grumbled, her voice filled with more venom than she had anticipated.

Ken's eyes widened as he glanced to his left, then his right—anywhere but Kushina. "N-Nothing!" he stuttered, his cheeks burning.

Kushina sighed, staring at the azure sky with its fluffy white clouds. Arashi was as silent as a hunter-nin, but she knew he was listening. She was almost positive he noticed Ken's stares as much as she had. She reached up, her fingers absentmindedly tracing over the barrettes she had received from Lady Sarutobi after completing the second part of the exam. They were made from imported turquoise—which Kushina knew was expensive in Konoha. She wondered if the Hokage's wife was still bribing her in regards to the physician's visit she had overhead, months earlier.

Kushina's mind often wandered back to that moment. Should she have told Hiruzen? What, exactly, was going on with Lady Sarutobi's pregnancy? She was growing larger every day, which told Kushina that things were progressing. A woman wouldn't continue to grow to the size of a small planet if the baby wasn't growing inside of her, right? Was there something else..something she had missed? Lady Sarutobi didn't _look _sick. In fact, she was happier than Kushina had ever seen her in the few years she had been privileged to live with them. She was much more elated than when their eldest son returned home between assignments.

"Hiya, group! Wanna get something to eat?" came the chirping voice of Hitoshi as he leaned over Kushina, blatantly interrupting her thoughts.

She hadn't heard him arrive, and jumped as his face hovered above hers. He was grinning from ear-to-ear as he watched them slowly push themselves upright. He shifted from foot to foot, as if he had to urinate.

"What the hell?" Kushina breathed, her heart still pounding. If she was _this_ vulnerable to her sensei sneaking up on her, was she ready for the day after tomorrow?

"I was thinking we could celebrate with Uzumaki's favorite: ramen! I'll pay," their team leader offered, more fervently than usual.

"Why are you so happy, Sensei?" Ken asked, noticing Hitoshi's stupid grin.

Hitoshi grinned wider, scratching the back of his neck as his spiky ponytail bristled with the movement. "I just found out that I'm having a boy!"

"Congratulations, Sensei," Arashi congratulated him with a handshake.

"Thanks, Hyuuga," Hitoshi's handshake was filled with his barely-contained excitement.

"I've got a name already picked out—or _we_ do," he admitted quickly. He had practically blurted that information.

"Yeah?" Kushina asked, raising her eyebrows in anticipation. The offer of ramen could perk up her mood in almost any situation. It was kind of sad, she supposed.

Hitoshi glanced at the sky, his hands shoved in his vest pockets. A small, tender smile spread across his face as he watched the clouds gently pass through the sky. He knew that he shouldn't share the name they had chosen, as it was a sacred affirmation between him and his wife, but this excitement was barely containable. He wanted the world to know who his son would be—even before his birth.

"Iruka," he told them, his voice soft. "Umino Iruka."

***

* * *

***

Kushina yawned, stretching her arms as her feet dangled over the wall's edge. Her toes skimmed the cool water as Arashi and Ken playfully tackled each other in the water. Their exam would resume the following day, and the teammates were enjoying their last days as genin. Or, rather, what Kushina _hoped_ were their last days as genin.

She wondered if their team would change after they became chunin. Would they no longer be Team Five? Would they be assigned to different teams, or other various positions of increased responsibility throughout the village? She smiled, feeling a slight pang of sadness at the change that may be awaiting them after the following day.

She genuinely cared for her team. Loved them, even. They had become like brothers to her. Both her and Ken had grown much closer to Arashi over the past few months. She discovered that the uptight Hyuuga actually had a quirky sense of humor, once you mucked through the reserved exterior.

She watched Ken lift Arashi into the air, slamming him into the water's surface. She had grown closest to Ken, though. He was her best friend. Perhaps....perhaps, maybe...more. Her cheeks flushed as she watched him with a lopsided grin. He waved at her from the waist-high water, his torso bare. She grinned, waving back and averting her gaze.

_Maybe_.

The sun slowly began to set, and the trio lazily walked to their respective houses, as if hoping the day would never end. Kushina trailed behind, watching the two boys trek in front of her. Arashi slowed, turning to look at Kushina with a slight frown on his face.

"Is there something wrong, Kushina?" he asked, his gaze steady.

Kushina grinned, quickly skipping to walk between them, "No! Nothin'."

She reached out to grab her teammates' hands. Neither resisted, both casting confused glances at one another. This wasn't typical Kushina behavior.

"Sure yer not mad?" Ken asked hesitantly, suspicious of Kushina's odd actions.

"Nope, not at all!" Kushina chirped, feeling high. Today was one of the best days of her life! "Just thinkin' about how we are gonna kick butt tomorrow!"

She began to swing her arms as they walked, pulling the boy's arms with her. If this was their last, solid moment together, then she wanted to remember it for the rest of her life. Hitoshi had insisted on taking a photo of them, which Kushina kept on her nightstand. It was a reminder of her childhood--of her beginnings as a shinobi in Konohagakure. She would cherish the camaraderie forever.

"Geez, I hope I don' have to fight a girl tomorrow," Ken grumbled under his breath.

"What the hell kinda comment is that?" Kushina spat, releasing her grip on Arashi and slapping Ken upside his head with her free hand.

"Ow! What the hell?" he cried. "I just don't wanna hit a girl, ya know?"

Kushina thrust the free hand on her hip, glaring at him, through narrowed lids. "_No_, I don't_ know_. What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying women are weaker?"

"No, I'm not saying _that_!" Ken argued, his face growing redder by the second.

"I think he's saying that he's a gentlemen," Arashi murmured, a hint of a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth, "and that he would prefer not having to fight a woman unless it was life-or-death."

Ken nodded vigorously as Kushina stared him down. She chewed her bottom lip, as if deciding whether to believe her friend. She turned, still glaring at him from the corner of her eye.

"Really, Kushina! Just like Arashi says," his eyes were innocently wide.

"If you say so," Kushina muttered, her hand still interlaced with with Ken's.

"Minato-sensei," Arashi murmured from beside her and Ken.

"Eh, he has nothing to do with this--" Kushina began, quickly realizing that Arashi was _greeting _Minato.

Her head snapped around, icy blue eyes growing round as she spotted him. He was walking, his nose buried in a book. He was wearing his traditional jonin uniform as he confidently strode through the street. Minato stopped suddenly upon hearing his name. His eyes searched out his greeter as he pushed the blond hair from his eyes.

"Good evening, Arashi-san," he smiled, the dimples more prominent on his cheeks.

His bright blue eyes glanced at Kushina's face, trailing down to where her fingers were interlaced with Ken's. The red-haired kunoichi quickly found herself trying to pull her hand from Ken's grip, though he did not unclench his fingers. Minato's eyes flickered back to her face, his expression solemn. Kushina could feel her ears beginning to burn.

"It's not--" she started to mumble, quickly stopping herself. Why was she suddenly feeling the need to explain herself to Namikaze Minato? She could do what she wanted!

Kushina thought she saw the muscle twitch in the jonin's jaw—the same one that did so when he was frustrated or angry and didn't want to show it. Minato blinked, suddenly returning to the conversation-at-hand with his former grin plastered on his face. Kushina thought he looked rather stupid as his eyes crinkled from the forced smile.

"Prepared for tomorrow?" he asked, his voice all too friendly.

"You bet your ass we are!" Ken grinned, his fingers holding Kushina's more tightly.

Kushina looked at the ground, embarrassed at the awkwardness of the unfortunate situation she had found herself in. What was worse was that her palm was growing sweaty.

"Kushina, you as well?" Minato asked, his voice softer as he angled his head to study her expression.

"Huh?" Kushina's head snapped upright, her pale blue eyes were slightly unfocused.

"Ready for Chunin status?" Minato explained his earlier question, the wide grin still on his face. "Don't tell me you really think you three won't get it!"

Kushina studied his smile. She felt it was a facade, though she did not feel his intent was misguided or dishonest. Did he really believe that they were capable of pulling through? Did he really think Kushina would do it? Did she? A sudden surge of confidence began to pour through her veins.

"Believe it, Namikaze!" Kushina grinned, giving him a thumbs up. "We aren't givin' in!"

"Very well, I look forward to the competition tomorrow," he nodded, glancing at the genin trio.

With one last toothy grin, he lifted his book and continued on his walk. With his free hand shoved into his pant's pocket and his back to them, he managed to call over his shoulder, "Get a good night's rest."

Kushina watched Minato disappear around the corner. She could feel Ken's eyes on her as she tried her best to smile. What the _hell _just happened? Why was she so flustered?

_Today was a weird day_! she told herself, shaking the funny sensations from her head.

"Shall we?" Kushina asked, prying her sweaty palm from Ken's. He frowned at the action, though he remained silent.

Kushina felt slightly sorry for him. Maybe she was giving him the wrong impression? She had held Arashi's hand as well! Kushina decided to opt for extending an elbow to each of her teammates. The two boys interlinked their arms with her as they continued their walk through the empty streets.

Despite the minutes that had passed, Kushina couldn't control the fluttering in her stomach. Why was she bothered by the realization that Minato most likely thought that she and Ken were a couple?What was most troubling, she decided, was why she was even concerned about what Minato thought about it.

***

* * *

***

Minato rounded the corner, quickly leaning back against the wall. His heart was pounding in his chest as sweat began to bead along his hairline. He lowered his hand, forgetting the book that was clasped between his thumb and forefinger. Jiraiya's book fluttered to the ground, the pages whipping in the air. Was Kushina dating the vulgar teen on her team? He would have never guessed that if she had chosen to like someone....it would be _that _boy.

_What did you expect? For her to like you_? his mind screamed.

_Of course not. Much too young and immature,_ he silently reminded himself.

But why did it bother him so much to see her holding hands with the scroll-wielding genin?

He barely spoke to her, and when he did, it was awkward. He was kind, sure, but she was not necessarily receptive to his attempts to make up for his past mistakes. Maybe if he just got his indiscretions off of his chest......apologized for the things he had said to her, years earlier....maybe_ then_ he could get the red-head off of his mind.

She had grown much...cuter...more attractive...over the past few years, and he had no doubt that her metamorphosis into a beautiful kunoichi was far from over. But, he would not be one of her admirers. _He_ was not interested in dating or a certain Whirlpool kunoichi.

Minato sighed, his heart no longer thudding against his ribcage. He was above this. He was not prone to such emotional control over his heart. He was having enough difficulty fending off the girls that _were _following him around the village, calling for him and swooning. He had no idea when this change had come about, but he disliked it. Very much so. He had been on a few dates here and there, but that was expected of a man his age. The girls were nice, sure, but none had been able to pique his interest or intellect.

Still, why was his mind continually preoccupied with a certain haughty and free-spirited fourteen-year-old girl? And why did it bother him to see her holding hands with a boy?

A boy that was not him.

***

* * *

***

"Wow," Kushina whispered, her voice failing her. She looked around, wide-eyed and in shock at the amount of people in the arena. She hadn't realized that _everyone_ came to these events. They were the bait the drew in spectators, and she hated that feeling.

"Are those all...daimyo?" Ken asked, his voice shrill as he indicated the tier of robed, rich men and their wives.

Some had assistants with them, scurrying around and fetching beverages and other various items at their master's requests. Some of the daimyo had women seated next to them, their hair coiffed and as elaborate as were their gowns. Ken could feel the sweat running down his back. This was ridiculous!

"They are," Arashi agreed. "They will be deciding our fate today."

"Can you not say it like that!" Ken snapped, waving his arms in the air. He was already nervous, and Arashi was not helping that fact.

"How would you like me to put it, then?" the Hyuuga replied sharply, his voice thick and curt.

Kushina sighed. They were all on edge, she knew. They were being scrutinized by the majority of Konoha as well as visitors from all other parts of Fire Country as well as the others. The notion was nerve-wracking enough, and she didn't need the added stress of her two teammates bickering. Now was _not_ the time to argue.

"Cut it out, you two. Or I'll maim you both before this competition starts."

The two teens grew quiet as they trudged through the crowd of people, finding the other genin hopefuls. Kushina noticed Arashi stiffen, and she followed his gaze toward the source. She could see Hyuuga Hiashi steadily gazing at her teammate, his look filled with haughty amusement. His lavender eyes flickered over her face before moving elsewhere.

"What is it?" Kushina asked, her voice a faint whisper.

"He does not like the fact that a branch member may achieve Chunin status before him," Arashi murmured as he regained his composure. Ken looked between his teammates and the other genin, unsure of what had just passed.

"So what? He'll have to get over it!" Kushina replied, shrugging. She forced a smile.

"Hmmph," Arashi answered, his eyes falling to the ground, his dark ponytail slumping over his shoulder.

"You aren't considering giving up because of...that, erm, _him_, are you?" she asked, waving a hand in the air. She was in complete shock that Arashi looked to be slightly distraught.

"Giving up? No. But, I am afraid I will have to face him," Arashi admitted, his lips pressed together in a straight line.

"And you'll beat him, for sure!" Kushina grinned, giving Arashi a thumbs up. "We know you're stronger. And obviously better suited to win!"

"He's strong, Kushina. He is not to be taken lightly," Arashi shared, his tone grave. His lavender eyes reinforced his seriousness, though his tone betrayed something....something else that perhaps Arashi suspected but wouldn't share.

"I know. One of the joys of having a Hyuuga as a teammate: I get the ins and outs of your abilities," Kushina nodded. "Quit bein' so down on yourself. _You _know you are stronger! And maybe he'll lose and you won't have to face him!"

"Alright! Gather over here, you brats!" came the deep voice of the raven-haired jonin as he appeared in the midst of the genin crowd.

Kushina recognized him from one of their trainings, months earlier. _Hagane_, she told herself, remembering his name purely because she thought he was cute. Her cheeks were turning pink at the memory.

The man glared at the genin, his voice brisk as he spoke, "You'll be randomly assigned an opponent, as you can a see here." He held up a poster for them to look at, his fingers jabbing the flowchart. "And whoever wins will pass onto the next round. They will fight who is in their bracket, like so--"

_So, I'll fight the winner of the battle either before or after me, _Kushina told herself. She could feel her heart speed up at the thought of having to compete in front of all these people.

"Got it? Any questions, forget about getting answers!" the man growled before rolling up the paper and neatly tucking it in his pocket. "Good luck and don't lose your lives!"

With that, he disappeared, leaving the nervous genin to chatter about what they had just heard. Kushina studied the group, noticing that Hiashi was the only one who seemed to be at ease with the proceedings. She glanced at Arashi, whose behaviors mirrored his cousin—though Kushina knew better. Deep down, Arashi was nervous. Did that mean Hiashi was as well? She briefly wondered how Higashi—Tsume's teammate---was doing. They hadn't seen him since they carried him to the tower. In fact, she hadn't seen _anyone _since that day! She had visited Tsume once in the hospital soon after, but since then, she had been training vigorously for this day.

"Lady Sarutobi is here as well," Ken murmured, using his hand to block out the sun's glare as he looked up into the higher levels of the arena.

Kushina followed his gaze, finding the Hokage's seat. Sure enough, next to it was a very pregnant Lady Sarutobi. She was staring down at the genin, her formal robes pulled tightly over her midsection. Kushina could see her chatting with her husband and his closest advisers as she leaned over the edge of their veranda. Next to them was another robed man with a similar hat to Hiruzen's. Kushina wondered if it was another Kage—from one of the other main countries.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the enthusiastic wave coming from Lady Sarutobi as she leaned forward. Her pink kerchief was in her hand as she waved, fluttering back and forth with the older woman's arm movement. Kushina smiled, realizing that the Hokage's wife had spotted her foster child, hoping to catch her gaze. The red-head smiled, returning the not-so-subtle wave as Hiruzen tried to coax his wife into her seat. A new wave of confidence swept through Kushina. Something about having Lady Sarutobi watching her made Kushina want to do her best.

"The matches are about to start! Genin, take your place!" came the booming voice from the middle of the battleground as an unfamiliar chunin peered up at the flock of hopefuls.

The group scurried to their respective places dividing into their teams as they nervously awaited the first battle to be announced. Kushina glanced along the row of daimyo. They were robed in their best, fanning themselves in the mid-afternoon sun.

_These are going to be the fools that decide if we become chunin_? she fumed. They were nothing but a bunch of rich lords!

Her icy blue eyes wandered over the jonin standing guard around the grounds. A few were hovering near the arena floor, most likely there to stop a fight before it got ugly. ANBU lined the boxed seating around the Hokage and the daimyo—their masks gleaming in the sunlight. Kushina knew that somewhere out there, Minato would be watching. She felt herself straightening at that thought.

"FIRST BATTLE: HYUUGA ARASHI VS HYUUGA HIASHI!" came the deep voice as he read off of the scroll. An electronic board also displayed the genin's names. "Contestants, please come down!"

Kushina's breath hitched in her throat as she remembered the earlier conversation with Arashi. She watched Hiashi cast a cold look toward his cousin before he left the holding area. Kushina saw Arashi's knuckles become white as he gripped the thick metal rail as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"That dude's intense," Ken muttered, immediately balking at Kushina's warning glare.

"You can do it, Arashi," Kushina encouraged her ashen teammate. She had never seen him so taken aback before, and she was finding the sight unsettling. It was as if he had foreseen this moment....

"Yeah, you can kick his ass!" Ken nodded vigorously, slapping Arashi on his back. The Hyuuga blinked a few times, his shoulders relaxing as his teammates encouraged him.

"We'll see you when you win," Kushina flashed a thumbs up as Arashi gave an appreciating grin.

"I hope," he whispered, before he, too, disappeared to the arena floor.

Ken leaned over the railing, squinting as the battle formalities began, "I don't think this Hiashi is as strong as Arashi seems to think. He can beat him. Easy."

Kushina felt her stomach flop as she watched Hiashi through narrowed lids. Something about his demeanor struck her as dangerous. She knew that he was a formidable foe for any of them, but he came off as someone willing do almost anything to accomplish his goals. Kushina was sure nothing had ever stood between Hyuuga Hiashi and his desires. Ever.

"I don't trust him," she whispered as she watched her teammate take his stance on the ground, dozens of feet below.

The crowd was ecstatic at the confrontation between Branch and Main Houses, and they roared their appreciation of the battle to come. Despite knowing Arashi's strength, she did not doubt that Hiashi would do everything in his power to ensure the victory he thought he deserved.

As she watched the proctor move from between the two cousins, Kushina found herself silently praying that Arashi would come out the victor.

***

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***

"You can forfeit now, if you'd like" Hiashi cooed as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest. The jonin that had instructed them had moved off to the side. The battle had begun.

"I won't be doing that," Arashi replied, his voice guarded. "Not necessary."

"You are going to make the Main House battle a Branch member?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow in anger. "It's despicable to make me exert myself for such a thing."

"This is not about House versus Branch," Arashi relied simply, "It's about moving on to the next level. There is no need to make this personal, Hiashi-sama."

"Ahh, yes, you still have some respect in your lower-class blood," the twin snidely replied, hoping to goad his opponent. "Remember that you are are alive to serve the House, Cousin."

"I am aware," Arashi replied, his tone strained as his temper flared momentarily. "Do you speak like this to your brother, _Cousin_? He is, after all, your equal, despite the unfortunate circumstance of leaving the womb a minute after you."

Hiashi's eyes widened as he hissed. The veins around his eyes began to bulge as the Byakugan activated. "Let's finish this, trash!"

Arashi followed suit, his own Byakugan taking over as he slid into his usual stance, his right palm facing outward as his left hand drew toward his abdomen. "I wish you luck."

"You'll be the one who needs it!" Hiashi growled as he made the first move.

Above, the spectators howled--especially those who knew the intricacies of the house caste system. To them, the fight looked like a well-choreographed dance. To Kushina, it looked to be growing more serious. She could recognize the well-placed taps that were being laid over each Hyuuga's body. She was elated as she saw Arashi dodge most of Hiashi's Gentle Fist while landing more blows to his opponent's the vital points.

"You can do it, Arashi!" Kushina screamed, her hands resting on either side of her mouth.

Maybe she was wrong about Hiashi. Maybe Arashi would end this match easily. It was obvious that Arashi was much more prepared and collected as his two-fingered blows connected with his cousin's chakra points.

On the ground, Hiashi was breathing heavily—much more so than Arashi. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, lunging forward as his fingers reached for Arashi's chest. He was growing impatient, hoping to hastily end the match with a blow to the heart. Arashi quickly gripped Hiashi's wrist, twisting it and using an opened palmed blow to the left side of his chest to send Hiashi flying backward.

Arashi took the advantage, so as not to waste time. Before Hiashi could recover, Arashi leaped into the air, grabbing his opponent's shoulders as he did so. He used the momentum to somersault over Hiashi, throwing the genin as he gained his footing. Hiashi bounced along the earth, his body limply sliding to a halt. A few moments passed, and the crowed cheered their glee as Hiashi slowly and unsteadily pushed himself to the ground. His arms were littered with bruises—more so than Arashi's. He glared murderously at Arashi as he pushed himself to his feet.

Hiashi brushed the dirt off of his body, dabbing at his cracked and bleeding lip with his tongue. He sneered, his teeth stained red from the blood he was coughing up from the lung injury. His eyes flashed their murderous intent.

"You don't know when to give up, do you, Cousin?" Hiashi spat.

"If I were in danger of losing, I would," Arashi returned the glare, his own pupil-less eyes flashing their challenge.

He was aware of who was the strongest in this match, and his confidence stung Hiashi. The latter screamed as he charged. Arashi pooled charka into his feet, using it to fuel his leap into the air as Hiashi slid to a halt. Arashi kicked his leg out while in the air, hitting Hiashi in the throat, forcing him to his knees as he clenched his neck. His eyes bulged from his head as he gasped for air. Arashi nimbly landed behind his cousin, spinning and crouching down in preparation for another attack, his arm stretched away from his body.

"How dare you lay your hands on me so frivolously," Hiashi gasped, his pupil-less eyes flashing their anger as they rolled in his head. He slowly rotated on one knee to face his cousin, a bloody grin spread across his face.

Arashi straightened momentarily, "As I've said before, Hiashi-sama, this is not personal--"

The slight flicker of Hiashi's hand movements were unmistakeable to Arashi—whose eyes grew wide in recognition. He suddenly grabbed his head with his hands, screaming as he crumpled to the ground. He seized, his fingers grabbing his hitai'ite and ripping it from his forehead. Blood dripped from his mouth as he convulsed—the tip of his tongue bitten off. The Cursed Mark on his forehead burned bright blue as he screamed and moaned from whatever pain he was suddenly exposed to. The crowd grew deathly silent as they watched, confused. A few members of the Hyuuga clan understood what had just happened. Some nodded enthusiastically, while others were staring in wide-eyed shock.

Kushina leaned forward on the rail her eyes wide with panic, "What just happened?"

"ARASHI!" Ken screamed, his eyes fearful as he met Kushina's terrified look.

They didn't need to speak, both knew what Hiashi had done. She and Ken leaped to the arena floor in a blur of angry movement.

"You bastard, piece of shit!" Ken howled as he softly landed on the earth in front of Hiashi. He quickly pulled a scroll from his pack.

Kushina landed next to him, instinctively pulling her blades from her waist. They spun around her fingers as she charged them with chakra. Hiashi stared at them in mild contempt as his bloody smirk grew wider. Kushina's rage lapped at her insides at the Hyuuga's haughty expression. She could hear Arashi's blood-curdling screams from the ground. She hissed, leaping for Hiashi, her intent to kill.

She never reached the Hyuuga, as she was bodily intercepted mid-leap. She felt the tight embrace around her shoulders and waist as she and Minato landed on the ground. Kushina stared in shock as Hitoshi locked Ken's arms behind his back. Another jonin was standing between Hiashi and the remaining Team Five.

"Enough, Hiashi-sama!" the man called out, his own purple eyes telling Kushina that he, too, was a Hyuuga.

Hiashi frowned, quickly releasing his control over Arashi, who limply relaxed; his eyes blank and frothy blood pooling around his head. He did not blink, and Kushina could feel the terror rising in her throat.

Kushina fought against Minato's chest as she screamed. "Arashi! ARASHI!"

Hitoshi's head was downcast, his expression grim. Ken was struggling against their sensei, his voice thick with fury. "That fucker! That was a low move! He should be disqualified for using _that_!"

"Let me go, Minato!" Kushina snarled, realizing that Minato was trying to block her view as the medics examined Arashi, "I'm going to maim that asshole!"

"I can't let you do that," Minato murmured, his grip still tight. "You need to collect yourself."

"I don't care!" Kushina hissed as she glared at him, willing him to let her go.

His eyes were closed, but his expression serious. "You'll be disqualified, Uzumaki."

"I _don't _care!" Kushina howled, her voice shrill as she watched Arashi whimper on the ground, his eyes rolling into his head as the medics lifted him onto the gurney.

"You should, it's your only way for a chance to get back at the Hyuuga," Minato whispered in her ear, his voice a low growl.

"I don't care, I wanna kill him _now_!" Kushina sneered as Hiashi watch the entire scene enthusiastically. How could he be so cruel?

"He's taking advantage of such power, Sensei!" Ken whimpered. "You saw what he did! What he _did_!"

"I did, but my hands are tied. The rules are set," Hitoshi replied, glancing up at the Hokage, who nodded solemnly.

"THE WINNER IS: HYUUGA HIASHI!" came the booming voice from the center of the arena. Jeers and cheers rang out at the announcement. Kushina glared up at the Hokage, upset that he could let this happen.

"How? Why?" she whimpered.

"Death is not uncommon in such instances," Hitoshi answered his student, as both jonin released the two teammates. "Arashi's in good hands."

"I want to fight him," Kushina growled, her mind screaming for her to leap at him and tear his pale purple eyes out. Her inner self reminded her of Minato's words: _you'll be disqualified..it's the only chance to get back at him_...."

"You? Fight me? You're joking, right?" the Hyuuga laughed his disdain at Kushina's challenge.

"You're mine," Kushina promised, the bile rising in her throat as she pushed away from Minato. Ken was standing with his fists clenched as Hitoshi studied his pupils

"You'll pay for that low move, scum," Ken promised, his stare growing murderous.

Hiashi shook his head, laughing, "That means you'll have to make it through the first round, _and_ you have to be in the next fight. I don't really see _that _happening."

He continued to move past her, the Hyuuga jonin at his side as he made his way from the arena. Kushina and Ken stared after him.

"I hope that one of us gets to take that fucker out," Ken hissed, his eyes flashing their rage.

Kushina took a step toward where Hiashi was exiting the arena. She cupped her mouth screaming after him. "Fine! If that's what it takes, I'll see you there," she promised. "I won't give up, no matter what!"

Ken was staring at the blood on the ground as it mingled with the earth, his shoulders shaking in fury as his fists clenched. His gaze was wild as he turned to face placed a firm hand on his pupils' shoulders just as the Hokage approved the next match. Kushina glared at the Hokage, angry that he hadn't punished the Hyuuga.

"You two--" Hitoshi barked, his face pale as he, too, felt the injustice in what Hiashi had done.

"SECOND MATCH: UZUMAKI KUSHINA VS--" the blaring voice called. Kushina shut out the rest of the announcement. She didn't need it.

She was going to win. No matter the cost. No matter who she was fighting.

She stared at where Hiashi had disappeared, her anger boiling. She didn't care what she needed to do, she _would_ win this battle. If she did, she was guaranteed a match with the Hyuuga in the second round. It was too good to pass up. It was too important for her to lose.

"Lucky son of a bitch," Ken growled, as he stared at Kushina in shock. Hitoshi mimicked his student's surprise.

Kushina straightened her shoulders as she fit her blades back into their holders. She knew what this match meant. She knew what she had to do.

"Kushina?" Ken replied softly, his face pale. Kushina's head snapped in Ken's direction as he solemnly nodded. "Please win."

Kushina blinked, realizing that Ken also knew what this meant. Kushina smiled weakly, "I will. It's a promise. For Arashi. For Team Five."

Hitoshi smiled weakly. He had underestimated his team. Their drive was unbelievable and their bond unbreakable. He quickly recovered, brusquely grabbing Ken by the back of his jacket and pulling him out of the arena. Profanities spilled from Ken's mouth as the arena grew quiet. Apparently two kunoichi fighting were not as exciting as two male ninja. A few jeers rang out here and there as Kushina watched her next opponent lithely walk toward her. The proctor was speaking rapidly to another jonin.

Kushina's opponent, ironically enough, the kunoichi on Hyuuga Hiashi's team. The girl had perfect hair and perfect nails—Kushina doubted if she had ever done an ounce of real fighting in her entire life.

"Plant-based jutsu," came the gritty whisper from beside her. Kushina realized that Minato was still there.

"Huh?" she wrinkled her nose. Was he supposed to tell her such things?

His expression was hidden in the shadow cast by his spiky blond hair. "That was a disgrace of a match. I may not be able to do anything about that pitiful display of authority, but I can at least do something after the fact. Just make sure to keep your distance, Uzumaki."

Kushina stared at Minato, her mouth agape. Was he really offering her some insight? He avoided her gaze as he pushed his hair from his eyes. "You can do it. I believe in you."

"T-Thanks," she whispered hoarsely, slowly recovering.

"Just win," Minato muttered as he glanced at the genin holdings. In a blur of yellow and green, he had disappeared, leaving Kushina to think about what he had just told her.

The strawberry blonde girl approached Kushina, who grimaced at her purple-skirted uniform. The girl politely bowed her head, and Kushina could see that she had even taken the time to delicately put make up on her face.

"What the hell?" Kushina muttered to herself. _Makeup for an exam? _

She suddenly pitied the girl as she saw the tremble of her hands as she attempted to hide them under her skirt. Perhaps, in another situation, the two girls could have been friends. But, right now, Kushina was in this to win—all of her earlier hesitation being replaced with anger and the desire to win. She would beat this girl.

"You two, know the rules?" the disinterested chunin proctor asked, his voice a low grunt.

"You bet," Kushina growled, eyeing her opponent with muted contempt. _Do not pity her! _

Pale bluish purple eyes returned her glare, though with less fervor. She nodded, "I do!"

The chunin took a step back, his arm raised in the air. "Then you two may begin!"


	14. Kunoichi Faceoff

**OK, Ladies and Gents! Funny story: I did a number of my wrist and elbow during one of my nomadic months, and had to strictly enforce a month off of typing. I tried it one-handed, but it was royally frustrating and pissed me off to no end. So, I left you all hanging. Please accept my humblest apologies. You are all so wonderful with your reviews, and I truly appreciate it. I LOVE hearing from you, so always feel free to leave something--anything! **

I am toying with the Hyuuga abilities (I prefer Hyuuga over Hyuga, sorry!). It's purely experimental--though _I _(at least) think it makes sense and is plausible, so bear with me. I wanted to try something different for action purposes. I hope you like it! ** Enjoy & Happy Reading!!!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. _

*****

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*****

_Keep your distance! _

Minato's soft-spoken warning resounded in Kushina's head as her eyes wandered over her opponent. She didn't know the girl, personally, but from the looks of it, the blonde didn't look like much of a threat. How could someone who obviously spent hours beautifying herself possibly expect to be taken seriously?

Still, Kushina didn't want to risk her chances of a victorious match. She had been warned about this dolled-up excuse for a kunoichi, and Minato wasn't one to take something--or someone--lightly. Despite her outward dislike for him, she still had some respect for the young prodigy. He had at least earned _that _from her, though she didn't feel she owed him anything.

"I just want to warn you," Kushina muttered, glancing up toward the Hokage's seat, "that I won't lose this fight. I don't know you, and I don't really want to hurt anyone outside of that damned Hyuuga. This is your only warning. You can forfeit now."

The girl blinked, stupidly, as she tilted her so that her long ponytail fell over her shoulder. She wrapped the ends around a neatly manicured forefinger. "Why would I do _that_?"

"Huh?" Kushina replied, her mouth slightly agape. _Was she chewing gum?_ "Because you won't get hurt that way!"

"Despite the fact that I do not condone my teammate's actions," the blonde referred to Hiashi, "_I_ need to win."

"Say what?" Kushina guffawed, her hand quickly covering the snide smirk that was threatening to surface. "I mean, no offense, but really? You _need to_?"

A slight blush crept from the blonde girl's neck over her cheeks as her pale eyes flickered up to the genin holdings. "There's someone important to me, as well. I need for him to see me," her voice was barely audible as she whispered to an invisible ghost.

"Eh?" Kushina crinkled her nose, her eyes following her opponent's--leading her to Shikaku's team.

"For a _boy_?" Kushina hissed, her anger suddenly flaring. "You want to win _for a boy's_ affection?"

The girl's violet eyes quickly returned to Kushina's face, her cheeks tinged with the warm blood that rushed under her skin. She nodded her head slightly as she bared her teeth.

"_You'd_ never understand," the air hissed between perfectly straight, white teeth. The lipstick made them even more noticeably white. Kushina had to shake herself out of the trance this girl's face was pulling her into.

"What kind of kunoichi fights to impress a boy?" Kushina jabbed her forefinger in the air toward Shikaku.

The girl's face twisted into a scowl as she looked Kushina up and down murderously. "I told you, _you _would never understand. What boy would want you? You're more of a man than a woman! There is _nothing_ attractive about you."

Kushina's eyes narrowed as they flashed their anger. Despite her facade, the little jab stung her pride. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the dolled up kunoichi. Perhaps beating the girl into the ground wouldn't feel so bad after all......

"Hmmph!" the red-head shrugged her shoulders. "I don't care about things like that. I'm in this for me—for the village!"

"That's something someone who is unattractive would say," the girl smirked, her eyes growing cold as she tossed her hair from her slender shoulders.

Her stomach-baring uniform with the high-cut skirt made Kushina cringe. Even the top scooped low, though the girl had nothing to show off—except a pair of scrawny arms. Kushina's gaze remained on her opponent as she dug her toes into the dirt, crouching and planting a palm on the ground. Her other hand hovered above her chakra blade as her fingers trembled and itched with rage. She scrutinized the purple-clad kunoichi standing opposite of her.

"I won't be the unattractive one when this is over," Kushina hissed the solemn promise, her eyes never leaving the girl's face. The corner of her mouth twitched as she added her finishing touches, "And you have lipstick on your teeth, bitch."

Bluish purple eyes widened as the girl's fingers covered her mouth and a gasp escaped her lips. Kushina had hoped for such a distraction, quickly releasing her handful of shuriken at the girl. The deadly metal stars buzzed with anticipation as she launched them with a force that she hadn't known she possessed. She knew that her marksmanship was excellent—much better than most of her peers, though Ken still surpassed her.

Yes, her shuriken would hit their mark. She was sure of it.

She leaped backward, finally heeding Minato's advice. Her heels slid along the soft, dusty earth as she bent her knees and unleashed her blades. They playfully swung around her fingers before she gripped them tightly in her palms. Her fingers curled around the handles as she awaited the girl's counterattack. The sudden sound of laughing took her by surprise, forcing Kushina to straighten. The dust that had been kicked up from Kushina's retreat slowly settled, revealing the shadowy figure as it stepped forward. Pale eyes crinkled as the girl giggled, her hand hiding her painted mouth. Kushina took a step backward, suddenly wary of what was happening.

Kushina's grip slackened on the blades as her mouth fell open in confusion, "Huh?"

"Nice aim," the girl cooed, purposefully wiping her hand across her mouth as she cackled.

Kushina narrowed her eyes, unsure as to why the girl was suddenly wiping the delicately applied lipstick from her mouth. The blonde took her forefingers and swiped them across her cheekbones, removing the rouge from her face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kushina growled, her grip once again tightening on her blades.

"You aren't as much of a kunoichi as you claim to be," Kushina's opponent tsked, shaking her head softly. "We are to learn the art of disguise—of changing our appearances to make us look more...appealing."

Kushina's jaw dropped open as she recognized the ruse. The girl had _wanted _Kushina to think she was beneath her—so that Kushina would underestimate her. It was similar to what Team Five had done in the Forest of Death.

Her opponent smiled cruelly, "It's obvious that you couldn't handle the womanly duties required of us female ninja. I doubt you could even use a wand of mascara."

"Fuck off!" Kushina muttered, tiring of the direction their conversation was heading, "It's time to end this!"

"I already have," came the chilling reply.

"Huh?" the redhead's confusion was written in her features.

The now makeup-less blondee nodded toward Kushina, her eyes drifting toward Kushina's feet as a sly smile slid across her bare lips, "Take a look for yourself."

Kushina looked down, quickly realizing the trap. She had been careless!

Thick, sinewy vines had grown from the ground and were slowly inching their way up her legs and arms. She tried to pull her wrists and ankles free, but the plant quickly tightened around her extremities. She could feel her fingers growing numb from the bone crushing pressure of her botanical restraints.

"What the f--"

She was interrupted by childish giggling, which was quickly silenced by a hiccup. "You aren't half as bright as I expected! I'm surprised you made it this far."

Kushina said nothing, her eyes frantically trying to find an escape. As if reading her mind, the blonde continued, "You can't escape. With each pull, the plants only tighten their grip. Soon, they will engulf your entire body, and when you struggle to breathe, they'll strangle the air from your lungs."

Icy blue eyes widened as Kushina realized the imminent fate that awaited her. Why hadn't she immediately heeded Minato's warning? She was such a fool! _You've already been defeated, dummy! s_he silently and furiously screamed at herself. The red-haired kunoichi began to struggle against her captivity, immediately screeching at the pain that seared through her body as the vine both tightened and dragged along her skin as it crept above her knees and elbows. Her fingers were still free, but were quickly growing blue from lack of blood. She could barely feel her blades between her fingertips.

"Now," the girl mused, twisting her strawberry blonde hair around her fingertip, "we can wait for you to give up--"

"Never!" Kushina screamed, the blood rushing to her cheeks and ears. Her head was throbbing from the inability of her blood to pump to her hands and feet. It was as if it had nowhere to go, but her head. Her heart pounded in her ears, screaming for her to give in.

"Fine, then," the girl sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "We'll just wait for you to suffocate."

***

* * *

***

"Why the fuck is she just standing there?" Tsume hissed, her eyes darting sideways toward Yoshino.

"Dunno," the dark-haired girl chewed on her lower lip, her eyes narrowing. "It looks like she's paralyzed."

"I can smell her fear from here," Tsume muttered, reveling at how rare it was for Yoshino to look worried about..._anything_.

"She's trapped in a genjutsu," Hizashi muttered, his Byakugan scanning the arena. "That explains her paralysis."

"Dammit, that stupid broad! When did she--" Tsume's incisors pierced her lip, drawing blood. The tip of her tongue darted out to taste the salty fluid. Kuromaru growled in agreement of Tsume's frustration.

"Before the match," Yoshino closed her eyes and rubbed her temples as she tried to think of something they could do to help. Though they had failed the exams miserably, no one wanted Kushina to miss out on her chance to become a chunin.

"What?" the Inuzuka practically bellowed. She caught the looks being cast up at her from the rows below.

"Mind your own fuckin' business!" she warned them, turning toward Yoshino.

"She's right," Hizashi agreed, "The girl did it before the match began. She knew it was her only chance of defeating Uzumaki-san."

_Uzumaki-san_. It was a sign of Hizashi's respect for any member of Team Five. They had saved his life. Saved Tsume's life. Kuromaru's, even.

"That's against the rules, isn't it?" Yoshino asked, glancing up toward the Hokage. "I mean, _they _have to realize it, right?"

Hizashi blinked rapidly, his eyes narrowing as he watched Kushina. Her chakra pattern was somewhat chaotic and unyielding—as if she had a vast resource that she never tried to utilize. She was using a fraction of the true power she possessed.

"I'm not so sure," the Hyuuga twin murmured, "that there were ever rules to break."

Yoshino and Tsume gasped, realizing the truth behind Hizashi's words. Tsume quickly stood, exiting their row and descending the stairs.

Her raven-haired friend called after her, "Inuzuka! What are you doing?"

"This is shit!" Tsume called over her shoulder as she carried Kuromaru under her arm. "I'm helpin' Uzumaki, what do you think? There are no rules, remember!"

Tsume quickly landed at the bottom of the stairs, pushing herself against the railing that separated her from plummeting to the arena floor. She shoved Kuromaru in her shirt, cupping her hands around her mouth as she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"UZUMAKI! UZUMAKI, DON'T YOU LET THAT PRISSY LITTLE BITCH BEAT YOU! I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!"

Tsume didn't care who heard her or how silly she looked. She ignored the stares and glares. She ignored the jeers. Kuromaru began to howl, as if he, too, wanted Kushina to break out of whatever genjutsu her opponent held her in. Tsume didn't care if she were breaking the rules. She only wanted to help her friend.

She owed her that much.

***

* * *

***

_I won't forgive you. Uzumaki!_

It was Tsume, Kushina knew. Her eyes darted around, but she couldn't spy her friend. Where was she?

_What the hell is going on? _Kushina silently panicked. She could _hear _Tsume, but she couldn't _see _her! The sound of Kuromaru's howls told her that they were indeed out there...but _where _were they? Kushina's eyes darted up to the Hokage and his wife. Lady Sarutobi was solemnly seated in her chair, watching the scene with quiet reserve. Kushina continued to scan the balcony, her eyes flitting back to Lady Hokage.

_Her robe! _

It was a minor detail, but Kushina immediately spotted it. It was an amateur mistake. Her robe was purple with light green petals. Kushina smiled, realizing that she had just solved the silent riddle. Lady Sarutobi had worn a shimmering mauve robe with blue lotuses to the fights. She knew that because it was a robe Kushina knew well. How could she have so easily fallen prey to her opponents tricks so easily?

"Well?" the girl tapped her foot anxiously.

"Well what?" Kushina snapped back. "I'm not giving in, even if it means my death! I don't give up!"

"Stupid girl," the blonde rolled her eyes, unamused. "Suit yourself."

"You know...." Kushina began, her hair shielding her eyes a she examined her bound hands.

"What now?"

"I detest cheats," the redhead replied softly.

"What did you call me?" the girl cupped her ear, hoping to better hear Kushina's whisper.

"You tricked me, even before the match was called. I thought you were nervous. But you were making the hand signs, not hiding your hands under that stupid little mini-skirt," Kushina explained as she slowly and steadily gathered her chakra into her right hand.

"So what? You figured me out!" her opponent snapped. "Good for you! But I'm still going to win!"

"You made an amateur mistake, for having a kunoichi's keen eye," Kushina goaded, her icy blue eyes meeting the pale violet gaze. A blonde eyebrow shot up under blonde bangs.

"I may have misjudged you before, but I won't be that stupid again," the Whirlpool kunoichi's lips spread into a knowing smile. "You're nothing more than an _amateur_!"

Before the blonde could open her mouth to speak, Kushina flicked her wrist. The movement was slight, but the intent was there. The weak chakra blade sliced at the vine holding that wrist. She could smell the burning stench of woody smoke as the attack hit its mark. She tugged her wrist with all her might, ripping the botanical restraint. She quickly turned her wrist, knowing the quickest and most effective way to release the illusion.

With a hasty jab, Kushina plunged the blade into her other arm.

***

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***

Kushina's opponent stumbled backward, violently shaking her head as if something silent had just occurred.

"UZUMAKI--" Tsume removed her hands from around her mouth. Had it worked? Had Kushina actually heard her?

"You cheat!" Kushina roared as she collapsed to her knees, her eyes glaring at the blonde in front of her. She knew that she would have to act quickly, or Hiashi's teammate would recover.

_Arashi! Arashi! _Kushina's head thundered as the blood resounded in her ears. _Arashi_! _You are doing this for Arashi! _Kushina told herself as she tried to stand on wobbly legs. Her eyes remained on her opponent who was reaching into a pocket.

"Oh no you don't!" Kushina barked as she quickly held her blades in front of her, the tips pointing downward. The pressure from whatever chakra she had gathered was enough to blow her hair from her face.

"Wind Blade Earthquake!" she screamed as she dropped the blades to the ground, her fingers dancing through the signs. Kushina had yet to refine her attack, but she was merely looking for a distraction. She knew it was risky, but the anger toward the blonde was slowly becoming a fury she couldn't control. Deep down, Kushina knew that most of her anger was toward herself—for underestimating her enemy.

Within seconds, a low rumbling shook the earth, forcing the purple-clad kunoichi to stumble. Almost instantaneously, a large wall of earth rose from the ground, welling like ocean waves as it hurtled away from its summoner.

Violet eyes widened as the blonde realized that the attack was barreling toward her. She quickly attempted to stimulate the growth of one of her ash tree seeds she had scattered across the ground before the match. Kushina watched the branches grow skyward in an attempt to insulate the plant-jutsu user from the wind-fueled attack. It was just as Kushina suspected: the girl could force life from various seeds she kept in her possession.

The dust settled, and the girl opened her eyes, realizing that she had successfully blocked the attack. Her gaze darted around as she tried to spot Kushina, but the red-head was nowhere to be found. The attack was merely a distraction!

"Behind you," came the growling whisper.

The blonde instinctively turned toward the voice, immediately being met by a fist to her face. A second blow made her vision grow black as her nose broke in two places. She could feel the warm blood running down her chin.

"That was for cheating!" Kushina cried after she connected with the girl's face the first time.

"And _that_ was for inferring that I was ugly!" she hissed as she felt the satisfying crunch of cartilage and bone under her fist with the second blow.

Despite the blow to her face, the girl still managed to try to fight back. Her moves had potential, but she was much too slow for Kushina. The red-head caught her opponent's arm in mid-punch, using it as a pivot to leap into the air. She came down, hard, driving her heel between the girl's shoulder blades. With a squeal, the blonde collapsed to her knees. Kushina quickly grabbed the girl's long, shiny ponytail in one hand—wrapping the length around a closed fist. She tugged forcefully, yanking the girl toward her. Manicured no more, the blonde's fingernails were chipped and dirty as she brought them up toward the cold metal object pressed against her scalp.

"Well?" Kushina leaned over, hissing into the girls ear, her spittle hitting the girl's high cheekbones.

"You can't be serious!" the violet-eyed girl whimpered, snot and blood running down her chin.

"Whaddya want?" Kushina tugged again, the kunai in her other hand pressing more firmly against the girl's hairline.

"No!" the girl cried, "Please!"

"Do you want me to leave a little length on the back?" Kushina mused, her heart pounding from the thrill of the fight. A metallic taste filled her mouth as she realized that she was moments away from victory. Away from fighting Hiashi.

"You wouldn't!" the girl pleaded. "Not my hair!"

"I told you I would make you uglier!" Kushina threatened in a low growl.

"I'll d-do any-anyting-g-g!"

Kushina raised an eyebrow as the proctor took a wary step toward her. _Now he'll interfere? Not while she was throwing hand signals before the match? _

"Call it," she spit the instructions between her teeth before she even realized she had said them. Was she really going to let this girl off that easily? She could easily slice some hair off, at least!

"Fine! I quit, she wins!" the girl's voice wavered as she called out, a trembling hand reaching for her nose.

"Louder." Kushina pulled more tightly on the ponytail, causing tears to spring to her opponent's eyes.

"I FOREFEIT!" the girl wailed. Murmurs began to buzz from the audience, who were now leaning forward in a mixture of curiosity and awe. They had no idea that a kunoichi fight could be so...brutal.

Kushina watched the proctor glance at the Hokage, who nodded. The proctor raised his arm. "THE WINNER IS: UZUMAKI KUSHINA!"

A slow, unsure applause began to ring out as Kushina withdrew her kunai and placed it in the holder around her thigh. She released her grip on the girl's hair, taking an unsteady step backward. Her feet collapsed underneath her as the cheers began to pick up. The medics ran onto the arena, quickly carrying Kushina's opponent away while she was left there to revel in the realization of what had just happened.

She glanced up, her eyes searching for Tsume. The wild-haired Inuzuka was standing on the railing, staring down at the redhead with her hands on her hips and a triumphant look on her face. Kushina grinned weakly, giving her friend a thumbs-up.

_Thank you, _she mouth. Tsume shrugged as the medics returned for Kushina, carrying her from the field.

***

* * *

***

"Who'd have known that fat ass could move so fast!" Ken moaned as he held the icepack to his head.

His lower lip was split and swollen. and his right eye was becoming dark underneath. Crusted blood was caked around his knuckles as he continued bashing Akimichi Choza. The two boys squared off two battles after Kushina, and it was apparent that Ken had not anticipated the Akimichi Clan's ability to grow in size _and _increase the speed of their attacks. Choza had managed to deal a very devastating first blow, though it was the only one he landed on Ken. Kushina had watched, annoyed at how Ken ran around the arena, being chased by a giant, rolling Choza. It eventually ended when Ken managed to get Choza stuck between two trees—giving the scroll-wielding genin the upper hand.

Kushina rolled her eyes as the nurse turned around and glared at the duo. "This is no place to use such language!"

Ken's mouth snapped shut and he cast an annoyed sideways glance at Kushina--who shook her head slightly. Now was not the time to piss off the medical staff. The nurse led them down a long corridor, and Kushina could hear the crowd cheering up above. Team Five was weaving through the tiny medical wing that resided deep in the arena's depths, where injured shinobi were tended to in such events. Tsume and Yoshino had wanted to come along, as well, but being that they were not contestants, they had to remain outside.

The first round was far from over, giving the two teammates enough time to visit their comrade without concern about their upcoming matches. Both Ken and Kushina would be battling in Round Two. Kushina knew who her opponent would be, and the thought made the hair on her neck bristle in rage.

"Your teammate, Hyuuga Arashi, is resting inside," the nurse jerked her head toward the closed door near the end of the hall.

"How is he doing?" Kushina asked, her voice nearly cracking. She stood on tiptoe and tried to peer into the room.

The nurse's eyes flickered into the room as her lips pursed into a grim expression. "We repaired his tongue, but as for the brain damage...."

"I see," Kushina replied. She did not truly see, but she could at least understand the brevity of the situation.

"So when will he wake up?" Ken asked, looking between the two females.

"_If _he wakes up--" the nurse began.

"He will!" Ken blurted, his ice pack dropping from his hand. He bent down to pick it up, his expression hidden by his movement.

The nurse looked at Kushina, who gravely nodded, "We are unsure of how....er, how he will be."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ken snapped, thrusting the ice pack against his head with a little too much force. He winced at the hasty action.

"It means that we don't know the extent of Arashi's injury. I'm not sure many Hyuuga live to tell the tale," Kushina replied through gritted teeth, her trembling fingers reaching for the door handle. She looked up at the nurse, who took a step backward.

"Thank you," she whispered, pushing her soiled red hair from her face.

The nurse looked from Kushina to Ken, "He's lucky to have friends like you."

"Hmph!" Ken replied, though Kushina knew he was touched. "Doesn't he have parents? Someone to come see him?"

"From what I understand, his father died from injuries he sustained in the last Shinobi War. His mother had died from an illness that swept through part of Konoha years before that," the nurse's eyes wandered over the door to Arashi's room.

"So he has no one?" Kushina asked, her voice low. She suddenly understood Arashi's reserved demeanor. He had always been alone. _No one_!

"He does have an uncle—the brother of his father. His uncle has twin sons, though none have shown up to so much as see him. I'm not even sure who his caretaker is," the older woman blinked away her tears.

Kushina wished away the prickling feeling in her eyes as she, too, fought against the tears. Ken chewed on his split lip, saying nothing.

"He has us," Ken whispered, surprising Kushina. He took a step forward, walking past the women and pushing his way into the room.

Kushina watched, her eyes filled with pride. Ken was right, Arashi had _them_. She glanced up at the nurse before following her teammate. "Thank you, ma'am."

The nurse only nodded as the redhead disappeared into the tiny room. She stood there for some time, watching the two kids stand by Arashi's bed. This time, however, she didn't fight the tears as they silently fell down her cheeks.

***

* * *

***

Arashi's chest rose and fell as the unfamiliar machine beeped from next to the bed. The tube snaked its way down his throat, filling his lungs with air until his brain could do so on its own, Kushina supposed. His eyes were taped shut, and the giant Cursed Mark was angrily glaring at them from the soft skin of Arashi's forehead.

Kushina wasn't sure how long they had been standing there, or when Ken had grabbed her hand. But, they remained by Arashi's side, staring at their fallen teammate and sharing one another's pain.

"You better maim that bastard," Ken finally whispered, his voice more gruff than usual.

Kushina could only nod, not trusting herself to speak. She reached out and touched Arashi's hand, surprised by how warm it was. There was still dirt crusted underneath his nails.

"I'm serious," Ken grunted. "If you don't, then I'll make sure that I make it through the next round, and I'll--"

"I will," Kushina replied bluntly. Her fingers squeezed Arashi's hand, hoping her heard her promise. She turned toward Ken, her eyes shining with tears, "He can't pull anything like...this...on me."

"Damned right," Ken replied solemnly, his eyes studying the ventilator. He took a step forward and laid a hand on Arashi's chest. _Ya hear that, Buddy_?

A subtle presence pulled Kushina's attention away from her teammates. She turned to find the Hyuuga in the doorway. Ken, too, could feel the unfamiliar presence, quickly turning and launching a kunai at the boy. The genin caught it effortlessly, his pale eyes never leaving Kushina's face.

"You're...you're not him," Kushina remarked decidedly. The Hyuuga shook his head in verification, his lips pursed and white.

"Prove it," Ken growled, not trusting anyone at this point. Pale lavender eyes flickered over his face as the Hyuuga reached behind his head. Ken unsheathed another weapon from his waist, prepared for a strike.

"Cool it," the redhead raised her hand, stopping Ken from doing anything rash. "It's not him."

"How do you kn--" Ken shot back, his voice leaving him as he watched the Hyuuga remove the forehead protector.

The same Cursed Mark that was etched on Arashi's head was visible on Hizashi's own pale skin. The contrast between his bronzed face and the skin under his hitai'ite told her that he, too, never revealed the mark. Hizashi stood there, his eyes downcast as the two members of Team Five studied the mark.

"How do we know this isn't a trick?" Ken asked, a skeptical eyebrow shooting upward.

"This mark is no trick!" Hizashi replied curtly, his cheeks flushing slightly. Kushina could see the resemblance between the cousins.

"May I?" the Hyuuga gestured toward the bed.

Kushina nodded, stepping back to allow Hizashi access. Ken followed suit. Arashi's cousin silently stood at the side of the bed, his hands clasped in front of him as the veins silently snaked outward from his eyes. The boy said nothing, as he used his Byakugan to scan Arashi's chakra system. Kushina thought she could hear him sigh slightly, before he deactivated the kekkai genkai.

"Brother, what have you done?" he whispered, his voice soft and barely audible.

"Why are you here?" Kushina queried, unsure of why Hizashi was suddenly interested in his cousin.

"He is my family," the Hyuuga replied, his pale eyes studying her face. "Though we do not speak much, I do care for him. We spoke on occasion. He had great potential to be one of the best--"

"_Had _?" Ken echoed, his voice high-pitched.

Hizashi said nothing as his eyes fell to the floor. Ken pushed forward. "How can you have that damned mark if you are Hiashi's _brother_?"

"I was born seconds too late," the Hyuuga twin shrugged. "It is my fate, I suppose. Hiashi is the heir and I am destined to serve the Branch House."

"Such a barbaric tradition," Kushina spat.

"Perhaps," Hizashi agreed, "but it protects our abilities from being discovered by other villages. These eyes are valued greatly."

Kushina was growing impatient, her own body aching from the previous battle and her heart racing for the upcoming one. If Hiashi could do this to her teammate, how would she fare against him? He was obviously a formidable foe.

"You are wondering why I am here, no?" Hizashi's voice cut through Kushina's thoughts.

"Yeah, something like that," Ken grumbled, from behind the Hyuuga.

The Branch Member carefully watched Kushina as he answered, "You will be fighting my brother. I know him well, you do not. He is strong--"

"I know this!" Kushina bristled, "And _of course_ you know him!"

Hizashi held up a hand, licking his lips nervously, "I wish to help you."

"What?" Kushina guffawed as Ken howled, "Why?"

A brief smile played on the Hyuuga's lips as he turned to look at his stricken cousin. "For one, you saved my life in the Forest."

Kushina could not disagree with that point. She crossed her arms over her chest. "And?"

"And my brother needs to learn that he cannot go around using his status at his every whim," Hizashi's hands reached out to smooth the sheet on Arashi's bed.

"He could do it to you, as well?" Kushina replied blandly.

"Of course," the dark-haired boy nodded. His hair was slightly longer than his brother's.

"So how can you help me?" she pursed her lips, her heart racing as she awaiting his suggestions.

"I know how he fights, I know what attacks he will use. I have studied you--" Hizashi murmured.

"Creepy," Ken interjected.

Hizashi sighed, ignoring Ken's interruption. "You haven't begun to touch what chakra you possess."

Kushina's brow furrowed, "Huh?"

"My Byakugan allows me to see chakra pathways. I can see the chakra within you," he pointed at her. "Most jonin don't even know how to tap into those reserves."

"You mean like opening the Gates?" Ken angled his head, suddenly concerned.

"No, nothing that extensive. Just using the body's natural, available energy without harming it. It's the same reserve you pull from when you charge those blades," he nodded toward her waist.

"So you're going to help me use that?" Kushina's eyelids narrowed suspiciously.

"I have a theory," Hizashi explained carefully. "The Hyuuga's Clan abilities allow us to manipulate the chakra pathways. We can open or close them on our opponents, even taking control of them if we wish. Hiashi will most likely use an attack well known to the Main House. This technique will close off those pathways, rendering you incapable of fighting—you'll be powerless."

"And your role in this?" Kushina was becoming increasingly nervous. A slight sheen of sweat was beginning to form on her upper lip.

"It's a theory," Hizashi reiterated.

"Spit it out!" she hissed.

"Infusing miniscule amounts of my chakra to reverse the flow in your body. It'll be temporary, by my calculations, but it'll mean the _reverse_ of Hiashi's intent if he, in fact, uses the attack I expect him to--"

Kushina was slowly piecing the parts together, "Meaning that I'll have _more_ chakra at my disposal?"

"In theory, yes," the Hyuuga nodded.

"And he can't see this?" Ken spun a kunai around his fingertip, his silent threat still looming.

"If he looks close enough, he may," Hizashi admitted, "but my brother lacks that kind of patience, as you can see. He thinks Uzumaki-san is an easy opponent, so he won't be expecting it. That's where Kushina's natural tendencies will come in--"

"What does _that_ mean? '_Natural tendencies_'?" Kushina's hands found their way to her hips.

"You are...er, abrasive, at times," Hizashi admitted, his cheeks turning pink. Ken snorted. Kushina shot him a icy stare.

She returned to facing the Hyuuga twin, a sudden grin on her face, "Yeah, what 'bout it?"

"Use it," the genin instructed. "Use it to goad him. The angrier he gets, the less...er, planned or predictable his attacks will become."

"And then?" Kushina chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"Then," Hizashi crossed his arms over his chest, "you do the impossible—or what he perceives as impossible. He won't know what to do."

"Which is?" the kunoichi was beginning to feel slightly hopeful.

"You land a blow."

Kushina threw her head back and laughed. Hizashi's appearance and theories were enough to make even the sane feel inadequate. This day was quickly turning surreal. Ken stared at Kushina, unsure of what to make of Hizashi's suggestion. He had not entirely put the pieces together, but he had gained some understanding of what the Hyuuga was inferring.

Kushina held out a hand, her fingers outstretched, "You're something, Hyuuga! Sign me up!"

Hizashi stared at the outstretched palm, unsure of what to make of it. Ken's eyes bulged from his head. "Y-You can't be s-serious!"

Kushina's expression fell, "And why not? It sounds like it'd work!"

"B-But," Ken stuttered, "it's only a theory! It could kill you!"

"Small risk, yes," Hizashi admitted. "But I'm almost positive that I am correct in my theory. Changing the flow should reverse the effects of the Eight Trigrams Technique."

Kushina shrugged, her eyes wandering over the ventilated body of their teammate. Her face suddenly grew serious. "We have nothing else to lose, Ken."

Ken said nothing, his jaw hanging open in defeat. He knew that once Kushina set her mind on something, he would not easily sway her. He shook his head, "I'm not staying for this."

"Fine," Kushina pursed her lips. Ken cast her one last look before he stormed from the room, muttering under his breath.

She returned her blue gaze to Hizashi's face, grinning nervously. "So, what next?"

His eyes suddenly became pupil-less, exactly like Arashi's. The veins around his eyes bulged as he studied her. "I manipulate your Chakra Points."

"And?" she pressed him.

"And," Hizashi sucked in a deep breath, "we hope that I'm right. We hope that this works."


	15. Unexpected Ally

**Hope you enjoy! As always, let me know what you think! Everyone who responded to the last chapter: you freakin' rock! I'd bake you all cookies/brownies/cakes (limited supply) if I could! **

**PS: sorry for taking a while to update, this month is killing me, and i have a MAJOR test in July (yeah, I pay for this one), so I'll be doing more studying and less writing, though updates should still be once weekly :D****  
**

Anonymous Readers: 

_Bella_: more Minato? Wish granted (*sorta*). We'll get there, promise!

_Kaylomaylo_: glad you liked the last chapter, hope you like this one, too!

_Kate: _updated! :D

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, I only come up with unique plots!_

[*****]_  
_

* * *

[*****]

Kushina slouched into the massive chair, her scrawny legs jutting out in front of her in order to keep her body from sliding off of the plastic cushions and onto the floor. She could hear the mechanical breathing as the machine next Arashi pushed the air into his lungs. She sighed, wondering if there was a magical change she was supposed to go through.

She didn't _feel _any different.

Hizashi had been honest with his concerns--_he _wasn't even sure if what he had done would work. The young Hyuuga _was_ certain, however, that his twin would use the clan's signature style of fighting in the upcoming battle against Kushina. Hizashi was also just as certain that his brother had mastered the ability to see the vital chakra points—the tenketsu—and was able to manipulate those using Eight Trigrams. It seemed to Kushina that she was at a grave disadvantage. If Hiashi was as gifted as Hizashi made it sound, then how was she to defeat him? Luckily for her, Hiashi would not be counting on the possibility that Hizashi had theorized how to reverse the effects of the Main House's signature attack _or_ that the younger Hyuuga twin may possibly help Uzumaki Kushina.

Despite being a member of the Branch House, Hizashi had easily taught himself those techniques that were reserved--felt to be _more_ appropriate--for those in the Main Family. Despite being cast aside since his birth, the younger twin shared nearly the same genome--making him just as capable as Hiashi. Where Hiashi lacked patience, Hizashi made up for it with quiet, gentle reserve. He may never lead the clan, but he was no less of a shinobi than his destined brother.

Kushina quietly contemplated the differences between the two brothers. She could see that Hizashi did not agree with the separation of the clan into main and branch houses. He felt is created hostility and arrogance that only further divided the already-proud family. It was obvious to Kushina that Hizashi was greatly disturbed that Hiashi could even use the Cursed Seal to his advantage, especially in front of so many people. He knew his brother the best, yet it seemed that even he was unable to explain the Hyuuga heir's behaviors.

[***]

"_My father—our father," Hizashi corrected himself, "puts a lot of pressure on Hiashi to be strong and fearless. It is a tough facade to uphold." _

"_I don't care what kind of father you have," Kushina retorted, "if you want respect, you earn it. Dirty tricks are no way to show that you have the potential to lead your clan!" _

_Hizashi had merely nodded at Kushina's almost-instinctual response. It was true, his brother was on the path of tyranny and ruling with fear was no way to maintain the Hyuuga Clan's peace. The young girl's words were enough to solidify Hizashi's resolve: he would help her in any way he could. In the end, he was saving Hiashi, as well. He had nothing to lose. _

"_It may hurt," he warned her, his eyes becoming a milky gray._

"_I'm not afraid," Kushina straightened her stance, her fists clenched at her sides. Her eyes darted to Arashi. "I will do anything I can to beat him! I_ will _defeat him!" _

_Hizashi's smile was grim as he nodded, his eyes trailing over her chakra points as he fine-tuned the sequence he would use to first turn them off before using his own chakra to reverse the flow. He had drawn his fingers back, his forefinger and middle finger straightened and ready to strike when she interrupted him. _

"_Um, before we begin," she licked her lips nervously, "why are you helping me?" _

_It was Hizashi's turn to look startled. His hand trembled as he lowered it to his side, glancing over his shoulder at his incapacitated cousin. "Because, as you have said, this is no way to become a leader." _

"_You want to save him," Kushina whispered, her words more of a statement than a question._

"_I want to save him," Hizashi murmured in agreement before his fingertips met their first mark. _

[***]_  
_

Kushina's fingers found the site where Hizashi had first struck her. She could remember the rapid tapping of his fingertips on her skin. It hadn't hurt. Instead, his flickering blows were light and filled with assurance as he danced through the movements. It was as if he had choreographed this jutsu, his body easily flowing through the sequence.

There was no pain—at least not until the last strike to her heart. It was there that Kushina felt the fluttering beat of the vital organ before it stopped. Her chest became heavy as her fingers clawed at her shirt. She gasped for breath, finding it suddenly difficult to suck in air. Her eyes became frantic as Hizashi watched her reaction. For a brief moment, Kushina had convinced herself that Hizashi had tricked her.

_It was only part of the process_, she reminded herself, remembering the events.....

[***]

_His fingers glowed a soft bluish gray as they reconnected with her chakra circuit. She quickly sucked the breath in between her teeth as Hizashi continued to land more heavy-handed taps on her body. As quickly as he had finished the first part, he completed the second task. He stood in front of her, his eyes wandering over her body as she reeled from the odd sensation the spread to her fingertips. _

"_Well?" she asked, recovering quickly. _

_Pale eyes narrowed as he chewed his lower lip. "It appears to have worked." _

"_That's good?" she inquired meekly through heavy eyelids. She felt as if she could use a nap. _

"_If Hiashi is as careless as I know he is," Hizashi's eyes flickered to her face, "then yes."_

[***]_  
_

Kushina's sighed, feeling a slight pang of guilt for the waver in her trust for the Hyuuga. She knew that anyone would have felt the same had they been in her position. The reddish welts were the only reminders of the their last minute experiment, and the spots were finally fading into her pale, creamy ivory skin.

Her eyes grew heavy, and she allowed them to close as she outlined a plan of attack for her upcoming fight against Hyuuga Hiashi. She had no idea what to expect from him, even after all of that. What she did know was, as Hizashi had shared, that Hiashi would use an attack similar to what his younger brother had performed on Kushina. The former's attempt, however, would be to halt all chakra utilization and possibly end her life. His realization that his prized attack had not been effective—and subsequent surprise—was what Kushina would anticipate to help her be victorious.

"I hope it's that easy..." she muttered to herself as she sank even deeper into the chair, her mind drifting off elsewhere as the frequent beeping of Arashi's artificial life sang her to sleep.

[***]

* * *

[***]

"I'm not dead!" Kushina groggily snapped, her eyes tightly shut.

"Sorry," Ken grumbled under his breath, drawing his finger back in surprise. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Whaddya think the Hyuuga was goin' to do to me?" she asked waspishly as she peeked at her red-faced teammate through a heavy eyelid.

"I don't know!" Ken squeaked. "He m-may have k-k-killed you! How could you trust him?"

Kushina bolted upright, sobering at Ken's words. He was right, and _that _exact thought had flickered through her mind at one point, too, she reminded herself. It was her turn to apologize.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"S'OK," Ken answered, somewhat surprised at her sudden change in tone.

He turned and silently walked toward their teammate's bed. He stood with his back to Kushina, his fingers curled around the side-rails of the bed. Kushina pushed herself to her feet, standing beside him and quietly watching Arashi's chest rise and fall with each artificial breath. Kushina closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer for her friend.

_I will finish what you started, _she promised.

"You will do it," Ken whispered suddenly.

"What?" Kushina breathed, immediately contemplating the possibility that Ken had somehow developed mind-reading powers.

Ken's face burned bright red as he looked at his feet. "You will beat that asshole...Hiashi. I...I know it. I believe it."

Kushina's eyes wandered over Ken's face as his dark hair fell into his eyes, hiding some of his embarrassment. She suddenly felt a surge of strength from his confidence. It was as if he made up for her lack of esteem.

"Thanks!" she grinned, slapping him heartily on the back.

"Eh, don't ment---" Ken began as he rubbed his neck.

Behind them, the door swung open. The handles hit the wall as the doors ricocheted on their hinges. Kushina and Ken turned to find Minato and Hitoshi standing in the doorway. Both men had their arms crossed over their chests as they silently studied Arashi's still body. Kushina could see her sensei clenching his jaw as he took in his pupil's condition. Even Minato seemed to be taken aback at the severity of the situation.

"Second round will begin in twenty minutes," Minato quickly spoke, his voice soft.

"Already? Everyone's fought?" Kushina guffawed as she glanced at Ken. _How long had she been there?_

"Yeah, that's why I came back to get you," Ken offered, his cheeks turning pink. He had forgot to mention that she had been absent for _hours_.

"Way to tell me!" she snapped, her finger angrily jabbing toward the genin.

"Wait, how's this my fault?" Ken narrowed his eyes, meeting her steely gaze.

"Because, you're the one who--" she began to argue.

"Enough, you two!" Hitoshi groaned. "Can you idiots _not _act like husband and wife for one moment?"

"WHAT?" Kushina and Ken roared together, two sets of angry eyes on their sensei.

"What did I say?" Hitoshi replied playfully. He had anticipated that _that _remark would stop their bickering....

"Bastard," Ken muttered under his breath.

"Kushina, your match will be coming up shortly, you should wait in the bottom corridor," Minato nodded at the two genin, taking over now that Hitoshi had caught their attention. "Ken, you return to the genin holdings."

Ken glanced at Kushina before nodding his acquiescence. He turned and flashed a thumbs up to Kushina, eliciting her trademark grin. Hitoshi smiled his agreement with Ken's silent encouragement. The jonin escorted his pupil from the room, leaving Kushina and Minato alone.

"Wait! Where are they going?" Kushina practically screamed, suddenly all-too-aware that it was only she and Minato in that tiny room. She didn't think Arashi counted. In his current condition, that was.

"I'll escort you to your waiting point, Kushina," Minato jerked his head toward the door, avoiding her disgusted gaze.

"Fine, whatever," Kushina growled, walking past him and stomping out the door. She didn't care if her actions were borderline childish. "I don't need an escort, y'know, Namikaze!" she told him over her shoulder as she trudged ahead of him.

"I am aware of that," he replied calmly, "but I will wait with you anyway."

"I'd prefer you not bother." The words rolled sarcastically from her mouth without so much as a second thought.

They hit their mark as the footsteps suddenly ceased. She continued to walk, ignoring his sudden stop. It seemed almost an eternity before he spoke. When he did, his voice was slightly..._off_.

"What is it that I have done that was so horrible?" he asked in a soft tone.

It was Kushina's turn to halt. Her body suddenly became rigid as her bottled up anger threatened to uncork itself. She casually glanced over her shoulder, "Whaddya talkin' about, huh?"

"I have always tried to be kind to you, but you somehow make me feel...inadequate," Minato stumbled through his explanation. "I just want to know how I have wronged you...so that I may right it."

Kushina felt her blood begin to boil as the cork slipped from the neck of the imaginary bottle. _Could he really not remember?_ She felt her fists clench as her back remained to him. Her voice nearly betrayed her ire, "You really have no idea?"

"I.....no, not really," Minato whispered.

That was it. The cork was off and the bottle was opened.

Kushina turned, tears in her eyes as her teeth gnashed together, "It was my first day in Konoha—a place that would offer me a new home. I didn't have to hide under rocks or sleep in trees, I would be safe here. Secure, even. My family was killed and I was alone and tired of wandering each and every day, wondering if I'd ever sleep in a warm bed again!"

Minato said nothing as Kushina looked past him, her jaw set in anger. The tears threatened to fall, hovering on her lower lashes. She took a deep breath as her eyes met his. Why were they so full of concern? It was as if he didn't feel responsible for causing her such pain!

Kushina closed her eyes, remembering their first meeting,"You were the first person to speak to me in this village. The first person! And the only thing you could do was make fun of me!"

Her voice was becoming shrill as her fury revealed itself in her features. Minato's eyes grew wide as realization hit him--he had almost forgotten that long-ago memory! The girl with the red-hair....was Kushina! It had enchanted him, though he didn't know how to approach her. It wasn't until his so-called friends had dared him to say something mean to any girl, that he had found his legs carrying him toward her. It was only a dare—nothing personal. He wanted so badly to make friends.

Being a genius had never been easy on Minato. It had made making friends difficult, especially as he flew through the Academy and into the life of a shinobi. He never had the luxury to make even one long-lasting friend. Jiraiya—his tutor—was the first person that Minato had ever been able to depend on, truly and honestly. How had he—who knew such pain—made Kushina feel so unliked? The blonde jonin opened his mouth to defend himself, shame burning in his chest. He had to offer Kushina something—an apology. An explanation. A theory.

Anything.

"I don't want to hear your fuckin' explanation, you asshole!" Kushina hissed, cutting him off before he started. "You have never been anything but ignorant to me, now suddenly you want to be best friends?" She took a menacing step toward him and Minato could feel the raw emotion emanating from her. Her teeth were clenched as she continued her tirade, "I fucking hate your prissy prodigy guts! Get it, dickhead?"

Minato's eyes widened at her harsh language. "But—"

"I don't want your asinine explanations! Like I'd believe them! You humiliated me more than enough, does that make you happy?" she spat, turning slightly and glancing down the hallway.

"No."

"You piece of---huh?" she blinked, caught off-guard by his honesty. Had she really expected him to _enjoy _making her feel so terrible? Why was that one word suddenly causing her heart to beat faster?

Minato lowered his gaze, his voice soft, "I understand why you feel this way, I do. I deserve this reaction, obviously, as I am guilty of what you say. Do I have a side to this story? Of course, though I won't explain myself to you, as you wish. But, to answer your question, no, I do not enjoy making you feel the way you do toward me. "

Kushina was speechless. Was this coming from Namikaze Minato? The same snot-nosed brat that told her she was ugly and would never amount to anything?

Minato took a step toward her, his eyes on the ground, "I know you won't believe it if I say it, but I am truly sorry. I will let you find your own way to the corridor, as you have made apparent you would prefer. I wish you luck on your next match, Uzumaki."

With that, he disappeared, leaving a speechless Kushina to stare at the nothingness that remained. _What the hell just happened? _She had no words to describe what was going through her head at that moment. She was both angry and sorry. Had she been too harsh? Maybe she remembered things differently than him? He _did _look apologetic, after all! Did he really not know how much he had hurt her in the past?

_Maybe he really didn't mean to. Maybe he was telling the truth_, she silently suggested to herself.

"Yeah fuckin' right," she sighed, rubbing her temples. She didn't want to be thinking about this. Not _now_.

She stared down the hallway, knowing that her next match would be through two sets of double doors. She would stand there, waiting for her name to be called sometime in the next twenty minutes. She should be thinking about _that_.

But, the only thing she could concentrate on was the look of pain on Namikaze Minato's face.

[***]

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[***]

"You've been through this already, do you need me to go over the rules again?" the chunin proctor drawled as he examined his nails through pale, almost pupil-less eyes. He suppressed a yawn as he awaited an answer from either or both of the two competitors.

"If she would like to hear it again," Hiashi replied snidely, an eyebrow raised mockingly.

"Ain't necessary," Kushina growled, shaking off the last of her hesitation.

It was amazingly easy to remember how royally pissed off she had been when the Hyuuga acted like _this_. Until now, her mind had kept returning to the exchange that had occurred between her and Minato nearly an hour before. She had been trying to shove it aside, replacing it with her current situation, but she couldn't. Part of her wanted to thank the haughty Hyuuga for his attitude—it was the cure she needed.

The proctor shrugged his indifference before disappearing. "Suit yourself. You're on your own!"

Kushina stood, her fists clenched at her sides as she glared at her opponent. Hyuuga Hiashi furrowed his brow as he crossed his arms over his chest. His pale eyes looked her over, as if he were sizing her up—deciding if she was worthy of his time and energy.

"I'll give you a chance to forfeit--" Hiashi began, his tone condescending.

Kushina could feel the blood rushing to her face and ears. She could hear it pounding inside of her head as she hissed her reply, "I have no intentions of quitting!"

"Fine," Hiashi's right foot slid behind him as he prepared for battle.

"Don't you even care?" Kushina blurted the question that had been raking at her conscience. "Don't you even care that you nearly killed your own flesh and blood? _Killed Arashi_!"

"Is he alive?" Hiashi tapped his chin, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I had no idea!"

Kushina's eyes bulged from her head as her anger grew tenfold. She threw all pretenses aside as she snarled, "I don't care what kind of chip you are carrying or how demanding your father is—your behavior is inexcusable. You'll pay for what you did!"

"Don't you speak about my father!" Hizashi spat, his reserved demeanor quickly changing.

"Oh, did I strike a chord?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that he had succumbed to goading so easily.

"You are trash, and you cannot possibly understand the demands of being a Hyuuga--" Hiashi's voice was growing louder as his control began to waver.

"Because I don't have those fancy eyes?" Kushina pointed, her brow furrowed in confusion. "That's all that really makes us so different."

"You will never be on an equal standing with me!" he barked angrily, the veins around his eyes beginning to bulge.

Kushina was enjoying his shiny new rage. Toying with him wasn't avenging Arashi, but she couldn't deny that it felt good—so damn good! She looked at her nails, sighing exasperatedly. "See? You're already using them! You can't handle fighting without them--"

Hiashi's eyes quickly grew darker, the veins disappearing as he lunged at her, his control momentarily gone. Kushina nearly lost her footing at her disbelief at how easy it was to throw the young heir into a fit of anger. She dodged his blows, easily ducking and spinning away from his fists and kicks. Their spar continued as seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into nearly an hour. They sped through the sparse forest at the edge of the arena, where Kushina jumped from branch to branch, avoiding shuriken after shuriken.

The duo eventually returned to the clearing, once again in plain sight for the spectators--who were on the edge of their seats. Everyone watched with bated breath, wondering who would land the first blow. No one expected the red-head to have such stamina. What had seemed like an easy victory for the Hyuuga was now more seemingly an even match.

Hiashi snarled as he pulled a kunai from his belt and quickly stabbed through the air as Kushina stumbled over a fleeting rock. The crowd gasped, as it seemed that the girl would be taken down with the tool. With reflexive agility, Kushina quickly leaned backward as Hiashi slashed the air above her with the kunai. She could smell the sweat in his palm as she acrobatically bent under his hand. The bottom of Hiashi's sleeve brushed her cheek as her hair swept the ground.

She snapped upright, quickly grabbing his arm and pushing it in the directional arc he was swinging. The momentum sent Hiashi spinning around as Kushina's fist connected with his ribs. He stumbled, briefly, his other hand reaching under his arm, managing a soft blow to her forearm. Her fingers tingled from the light impact, but she quickly shook off the feeling. She knew that she couldn't let him land many more blows like that, as it would be detrimental for her.

Her head snapped to the left, then to the right, as she dodged Hiashi's high kicks with swift moves of her own. She caught his third kick between her hands, quickly twisting his ankle. Hiashi's body twirled from the momentum, landing him on the hard earth. Cheers rang out from the crowd as Kushina slid backward from the force of her movement, her chest heaving with each ragged breath. Sweat was dripping in her eyes, and she quickly wiped her brow before releasing her wind blades and crouching low in anticipation of the counter attack.

Hiashi leaped to his feet, his hand in front of him and his eyes narrowed in fury. "It seems you are nothing special without your blades," he breathed.

Kushina twirled the blades around her fingers, crossing her arms over her chest and replacing the blades in their holders. She waited a few seconds as the air in front of Hiashi swirled. The soft skin of his cheeks split, blood dripping on the ground as the gashes grew. His eyes widened as his fingers reached up to dab at the wounds. Without his Byakugan activated, he had no way to know that Kushina could store that much chakra into her blades to stretch such a distance.

"I thought I was taking it easy on ya," Kushina smirked. "Sorry."

This time, she rushed toward him, her movements sure and solid. Her months of training had proven fruitful as she kept up with the Hyuuga's blows, blocking them and returning with her own strikes. Not only had her taijutsu improved, but her chakra precision had also become more astute from entire days of training.

"How am I doin'?" Kushina huffed as she kicked Hiashi away from her. He slid backward, leaning over and retching from the impact to his abdomen.

He quickly recovered, his eyes narrowed, "Considering you are only keeping up with me as is--"

"You sound surprised!" she sneered.

Hiashi ignored her comment, continuing his earlier explanation, "You'll be no match for me once I quit playing these childish games."

"You think you're that good, huh?" Kushina pressed as she ducked beneath a rapid series of punches.

Hiashi grabbed a handful of hair, his eyes growing paler as his pupils disappeared. Kushina silently cursed, knowing full well that her hair was an obvious liability. Anything that a shinobi could get their hands on was fair game in a fight. Kushina reflexively pulled a kunai from its holder on her thigh, lopping off the hair in Hiashi's hand.

He quickly dropped the clump of blood-red hair, his surprise only momentary as Kushina threw a handful of shuriken. He began to spin, a funnel of chakra surrounding him and expelling outward. The shuriken fell short of their target, becoming entangled in the web of spinning chakra. A sudden, forceful burst of energy threw Kushina backward. She flipped over, landing lightly on her feet as her fingers skimmed the dry earth. Her head snapped upright just in time to find Hiashi in front of her, his Byakugan returning her look of surprise.

In a series of rapid, purposeful hits, Hiashi tapped the vital spots along her chakra circuit. Each set of blows convulsed Kushina's body as she was sent backward. Each time, Hiashi followed her, his strikes faster and harder. She lost count of the numbers Hiashi was spouting with each attack. When he finished, Kushina fell to her knees, her hands supporting her body as she adjusted to the shock. She didn't feel weak or numb, as Hizashi told her would be expected of the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō Technique.

She felt something warm in her throat, and she spit the dark fluid from her mouth. _Blood_! Had she been internally injured? His strikes didn't seem as if they could do that much damage! Her vision began to change, and she rapidly blinked, noticing the two sets of feet in front of her. She didn't look up as Hiashi spoke, instead trying to blink away her double vision.

"I have let you experience my Gentle Fist Technique: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. It is a jutsu of the Main House that attacks the victim's chakra points. You're useless now. Your chakra has been turned off, so to speak," his voice was smooth and calm as he stared down at her. She could hear his breath rasping between this teeth.

Kushina was still stunned, unsure of how to adjust to the new feelings coursing through her body. She felt lighter....and something else. Her peripheral vision began to swirl, making her head spin. She fell forward from the dizziness—the left side of her face hitting the dirt as her hair whipped her face, obscuring her vision. She could see through the bright red cloud, her eyes falling on the Hokage's seat, dozens of feet above the arena floor.

She could see Lady Sarutobi jumping to her feet, her face ghostly pale as she leaned over the edge of the veranda, her eyes filled with panic. Hiruzen's face was shadowed by his hat, but Kushina could see the grim line of his mouth. Was he displeased with her? Or was it concern...like his pregnant wife? She didn't want them to worry about her. Kushina's eyes flickered to the blonde jonin standing next to the Hokage. It was Minato. He was leaning on the cement wall behind the kage, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes downcast. It was as if he refused to look upon Kushina's prostrate body, already committing her to defeat. Did he think her weak? she silently wondered.

"I did add an extra blow," Hiashi murmured softly, leaning down so that only Kushina could hear.

She tried to spit a response, but she was still in shock. A soft croak escaped her throat. Something was digging into her leg. What did she have in her pocket? Her fingers twitched as she commanded herself to reach for the intruding item. Why wasn't she able to move? Hizashi had warned her of the technique, didn't he? Was the younger Hyuuga brother wrong in his assumption? He had mentioned that it was a possibility.

"Your heart will stop shortly," Hiashi continued in a low whisper, "I've interfered with the electrical pacemaking. That's the fluttering in your chest."

Kushina's eyes grew wide as the Hyuuga straightened. The arena was silent as he strode from where she was lying. The proctor walked out to meet him, closing in a few yards away from her paralyzed body. She thought she could hear their breathing, as if her senses were slightly more astute than normal....

"She's paralyzed. Useless," Hiashi told the proctor, his tone familiar. "Take your time, that's an order. She'll be dead in a less than a minute."

_No! _Kushina's mind screamed. _He can't order the proctor to do that! _She suddenly remembered the proctor's eyes: he was a Hyuuga! Was he bound to obey the future leader?

Hiashi's voice grew slightly louder as he continued his conversation, "She wasn't worthy to represent this village anyhow....and such naivete for her to think she could avenge the ways of our clan. She's better off dead."


	16. Turning Tides

**Because my readers and reviewers are freakin' awesome! Here's another chapter. I do feel slightly guilty about the previous chapter. Sorry (*rubs hands evilly*), maybe this will appease some (or all) of you! A giant THANK YOU to my readers!  
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**TO MY LOVELY REVIEWERS: As always, I love hearing from all of you. Without my reviewers, there wouldn't be a story! And if you joined in a while ago, always feel free to leave me a word or two (or more) and let me know what you think! I do apologize for not getting back to everyone. I'll try to catch up :)  
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**Happy Reading! Enjoy!**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. _

[*****]_  
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[*****]

_...wasn't worthy to represent this village_......_better off dead.....useless..._

His words stung Kushina, despite her current situation. Since her arrival in Konoha, she had always wanted to fit in—to prove her worth to the Hidden Leaf. She wanted to make her adopted parents proud as well as continue the legacy her mother and father had bestowed upon her. She had only ever wanted to be worth _something_. Worth _anything_.

Then, there was the matter of Arashi. He was both her teammate and her close friend--someone she relied on and trusted. Right now, he was in a coma with the possibility of never waking up, and it was all because of Hyuuga Hiashi.

_What about your promise, Kushina? _her conscience taunted. She _had_ promised Ken that she would defeat Hiashi. She had herself. She had even promised Arashi._ You're going to let him tell you that you're _useless _now? s_he silently seethed. _You're going to let him have the last laugh while you give up and die? _

_No! _screamed the voice inside of her head. _You will _not _do that! You are Uzumaki Kushina!_

Uzumaki Kushina doesn't give up. Ever. It was her ninja way.

Her jaw clenched as she willed her stiff joints to move. When they ignored her silent pleas, her eyes darted to the Hokage's veranda. Lady Sarutobi's kimono whipped in the wind, her swollen silhouette visible as she called back to Hiruzen.

"Stop this! She's hurt!" Lady Sarutobi was worried. She was concerned about the foster child she had taken in and had braved the crowds to see Kushina fight in the final round. Kushina couldn't let the Hokage's wife see her lose. Not like this.

She _would _become a chunin!

Kushina closed her eyes, feeling the chakra pulsations ebb inside of her body. She didn't feel as if she had been cut off from her own energy, so why was she suddenly unable to move? The soft sound of footsteps approached as the Hyuuga proctor knelt beside her, his fingers finding her carotid pulse.

"Still alive," he murmured to himself, his voice anxious. Kushina detected a hint of wariness, indicating that the chunin was torn about what to do. She squeezed her eyes shut, ignoring his wandering fingers as she screamed for every muscle in her forefinger to contract.

This time, her body responded.

A sudden, warm feeling washed over her as if something intoxicating was spreading through her veins. Her fingers and toes tingled as the odd prickling sensation soon crept throughout her body. It was as if the life was returning to her limbs---to _her_.

"Get your damned hands off of me!" she growled, blowing the dank hair from her face.

"Huh?" the chunin drew back, surprised by both her voice and movement.

Kushina attempted to push herself off of the ground on unsteady hands. With each passing second, her strength seemed to grow. She felt as if she had taken a magical pill to replenish her vitality. Was this what Hizashi had expected to happen?

She supported her weight on her hands as she used her knees to push herself from the ground. She glanced through her knotted mane, glimpsing Hiashi's back as he confidently walked from the arena. Her lips twisted into a wry grin as she succeeded in standing on her own two feet. She stretched her arms away from her body in an attempt to stave off the unsteadiness in her stance. When she was confident she could balance her own weight, she raised a fist to eye-level, clenching and unclenching her fingers. With each movement, her strength continued to grow as she tested the odd, new boundaries.

She glanced up into the crowed, shielding her eyes as she scanned the arena for the younger Hyuuga twin. Hizashi had been correct in his theory; he had saved her life. Hiashi had attempted to close off her chakra gates, but Hizashi had been able to reverse those effects. Kushina assumed that it was her own body's inexperience with chakra control that contributed to the initial shock and paralysis. Once she adjusted to the new, more abundant energy flowing though her body, it slowly gave itself back to her, trustingly. Kushina's fingers slid over the sore spot on her right sternal border—where Hiashi had finished his attack. Again, Hizashi had accurately predicted Hiashi's signature ending blow to the heart, somehow moving the tenketsu for her heart's pacemaker to the other side of her sternum. At best, she had a collapsed lung. Worst case scenario: she was harvesting a growing lung clot. Either way, she could kiss the younger Hyuuga.

Kushina wiped her mouth with a dirty arm as the crowd began murmur. Their voices grew louder, buzzing like a hive of bees. Their acknowledgment gave Kushina a surge of courage. She was feeling surprisingly bold as she turned to glare at the proctor.

"Let me die, huh? That's a cop out!" she hissed, her eyes flashing their anger. "This match ain't over, so don't even _think _about calling it, ya hear me?"

The chunin's pale eyes widened, and he said nothing in response. Kushina remembered the faint ache in her thigh, and she quickly reached into her pocket for the offending item. Her fingers closed around the gift Asuma had given her before the exam. Kushina studied the shiny new metal, her other hand untying the Leaf hitai'ite from her waist. She ripped her scratched forehead protector from her bony hips, tossing it to the ground. She took a deep breath, enjoying the feel of the fresh air in her lungs. The corners of her mouth twitched as she returned her attention to Hiashi's disappearing back. It wasn't over yet.

No.....it had only just begun.

"Hey!" she shouted, wiping the dirt from her face as the wind tossed her thick red hair around her shoulders. "Hey, _asshole_! Hyuuga!"

Hiashi stopped suddenly, his posture rigid as he turned to look over a shoulder. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Kushina standing there, staring him down. She grinned, blood smeared across her teeth and a darkening bruise on her left cheek. She took a shaky step, her fingers clenching her Whirlpool hitai'ite more tightly.

"I may not be a true Leaf-nin," she yelled, dangling the ribbon between her forefinger and thumb. "But it's because...."Shaky fingers tied the hitai'ite around her forehead, her fingers tracing over the swirling water pattern. She took a deep breath, preparing her words carefully."...It's because I'm from the Land of Whirlpools, dickhead! Don't you forget it!"

Her face was alight with determination as she held her ground in the silent battle of wills. The hitai'ite's shiny new surface reflected the late afternoon sunlight as Hiashi's eyes grew rounder. Kushina was certain she could see both fear and confusion in those pale, lifeless eyes. It, too, was as Hizashi predicated: _surprise Hiashi and you have the advantage_.

After a few moments of scrutiny and disbelief, Hiashi's lips slowly parted,"Y-you--"

"Can stand? Yeah, that's a tough one for ya, huh?" she touched the Whirlpool symbol on her forehead protector, her fingers once again tracing the pattern of her country. Her heritage.

"H-How?" Hiashi stuttered, his eyes darting to the proctor. The chunin subtly shook his head before hastily leaping away. The situation was out of his hands.

"I told ya," Kushina looked at her feet, the hitai'ite shadowing her deep blue eyes, "I have a friend to avenge. I'm not going to give up until I've done that. Not ever!"

Kushina's left foot slid behind her and she rotated her hips. She held her chin high as her right hand hand straightened in front of her as she bent her thumb in front of her open palm Hiashi's eyes bulged in disbelief at the familiar pose: Kushina was using Arashi's pose! The Hyuuga's Byakugan sprung to life as he studied the flow of chakra in her body, looking for an answer to his earlier question. The pulsations were stronger--more vibrant--as the chakra swirled within its circuit. How that was possible, Hiashi had no idea.....

"Now," Kushina growled, interrupting Hiashi's frantic musings, "let's get this show on the road!"

In her newly found boldness, Kushina didn't wait for him to make a move. Instead, her hands instinctively flew to her chakra blades. She quickly released both blades, throwing them at Hiashi's head before she charged straight for him. The Hyuuga easily dodged the blow, as both blades spun by—one on either side of his head They landed some distance behind him, both blades digging deeply into the ground. Hiashi remained calm, telling himself that she was merely being hasty in her attacks. He was quickly proven wrong as the sleeves on his coat suddenly split, revealing the skin on his shoulders as it beaded with blood from Kushina's blades. Hiashi's eyes widened slightly as he realized that she had been able to activate the chakra surge mid-attack. He hadn't even registered the swift series of hand signs!

_So she can store the chakra and willingly activate it on command_? he silently pondered. To what distance from the blades could her indetectable attacks reach? He silently chastised himself for allowing those blades to come close enough to begin with. His Byakugan would allow him to see the normally-invisible chakra cloud pulsating in the blades, but there was no way for him to have predicted that she could activate the stored energy so quickly. She had unnerved him with the surprise attack, and Hiashi did not like the ominous feeling.

His eyes narrowed as he studied the chakra circuit flowing in her body. The color had changed, slightly. It was not bolder in hue, ebbing more chaotically—more angrily. He had turned off her ability to tap into her internal energies, so how was this possible?

Not letting Hiashi react, Kushina's hands danced through the intended signals. A dozen or so clones—more than Kushina was usually capable of summoning—appeared around her. The clones spread apart, quickly surrounding Hiashi. Pale gray eyes narrowed as he tried to find the real Kushina in the small crowd of replicas. Each clone had identical chakra patterns, making the task difficult. Despite splitting her chakra, the circuits were still strongly flowing within each clone.

"Shadow Clones," Hiashi muttered ripping his torn sleeves from his coat. He stepped back, widening his stance and waving the clones to attack. Encouraging them, even.

One by one, each clone reacted as weapons were being launched in every direction. Shuriken and kunai were being unleashed on Hiashi—a cloud of metal raining down. The Hyuuga dodged attempt after attempt, though only luck could be attributed to a few of the clones' kunai missing their mark.

Hiashi faced half of his opponents, his chest heaving as he tried to evaluate each clone within the breadth of his Byakugan. He planted his feet into the ground, his kekkai genkai examining his enemies as they inched closer, noting the few that hung back. A handful switched between locations, swiftly crossing paths behind him. After a few times, Hiashi decided that movements were nothing but a distraction technique.

"You're hesitating," Hiashi growled, glancing around the swarm of clones as his Byakugan monitored on the ones at his back.

"Or biding my time," one red-haired clone chirped, flashing a cheeky grin.

"Are you scared?" came another clone's taunt.

"Hmmph," Hiashi grunted, as he reached into his holder swiftly revealing a kunai. Without so much as looking to his right, he flicked the weapon from between his fingers. It deeply embedded in Kushina's neck. The clone stumbled backward, hands reaching for the weapon as blue eyes bulged. In a puff of smoke, the clone disappeared.

The remaining clones edged in around Hiashi as he studied the gaggle for a minute movement that would signal the others. Sure enough, the subtle indication revealed itself the silently observing Hiashi. It was a slight inclination of the head, but it was enough for him to discern the real Kushina from the sea of fakes. In a whirlwind of movement, Hiashi charged at the red head directly in front of him, his right hand drawn back as he prepared to strike. With his Byakugan, he could see the vital points he wished to hit—hoping to end the match for one and for all. Kushina's eyes widened, furthering Hiashi's confidence in the accuracy of his assumption.

"Simple process of elimination!" he screamed as he suddenly slid along the ground on one shin, bringing a fist upward and hitting Kushina in the chin. The girl's head snapped back as a low moan gurgled from her throat. In a flurry of rapid movements, Hiashi tapped the points, a confident smile spreading across his face.

"It's over!" he breathed as his fingers sank into the vital spot in the middle of her chest. Her heart.

Kushina slumped over his hand, her own fingers wrapping around his wrist for support as the clones disappeared with soft popping sounds. Her body became limp as it folded over the two-digit jab Hiashi had plunged into her chest. He could feel the heart fluttering lightly beneath his fingertips as his chest heaved from his earlier exertion. He could feel the warm blood running down his arm from the lacerations on his shoulder. The wound had re-opened, fresh blood breaking through the clotted dam. He ignored the stinging pain of the tearing flesh.

"Heh," came Kushina's soft reply. "How did you know?"

"Your prompting of your clones. It was subtle, but not out of my range of detection," Hiashi proudly shared as he remained as he was, his victim's body slumped over his defeating blow. He released his Byakugan as Kushina lifted her head to meet his gaze.

"Even..." came her rasping reply following a few moments of silence "...even the most gifted can be blind."

Hiashi's eyes widened at her words, suddenly aware of the _other _presence. The sound of feet hitting the ground reached his ears all too late. He hadn't seen her. The_ real _her.

She had been crouched on the tree trunk some distance behind him, her presence hidden in his Byakugan's blind spot. The clone in front of him quickly dissipated, leaving a startled Hiashi standing in the middle of the arena. Kushina's feet softly tapped down the tree's trunk before she nimbly leaped from it. She swiftly passed between the her two chakra blades as they protruded from the ground. She swooped down, barely tracing her fingertips over the handles as she continued running toward Hiashi at full speed.

"Sorry, but I'm borrowing an idea, Ken!" she murmured as she left her chakra blades behind.

She only had a few seconds, and she had to make it count. Though he was aware that she was there, Kushina still had the advantage of a few seconds' head start. She would meet him head-on. Hiashi turned, his hand drawing up in preparation to strike. She willed the chakra into her feet as she raced toward her opponent, his movements somewhat slow. Kushina was determined to win for the teammate that Hiashi so brutally betrayed. Whatever was going to happen was about to unfold. The fight would stop here--one of them would end it.

A feral scream left her mouth as she ran at Hiashi with everything she had.

[***]

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[***]

The confrontation occurred so quickly that the crowd still hadn't recovered from the earlier events. Tsume was now standing, her eyes narrowed so that she could better see the arena as her jaw hung open in unladylike confusion.

"What happened?" she growled, her voice low and gruff.

"There's too much dust!" Yoshino complained as she squinted, attempting to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun.

"Yeah, but _he _can see!" Tsume pointed toward Hizashi, her tone slightly hopeful. Both girls remained silent as they studied the Hyuuga with muted expectations. His eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing as he watched through the cloud of dust.

"Well?" Tsume tapped her foot, her tone suddenly sharp. "What the hell is goin' on, Hizashi?"

Hizashi said nothing as his head dropping slightly, a grim smile on his face. Tsume's eyes darted from him to Yoshino before they flickered back to the arena. She didn't know what to make of her teammate's subtle display. She knew he held a profound respect for Kushina and her team, but was his reaction for his own brother's fate or that of Kushina's? Tsume pondered that thought in her head as she waited for the dust to settle. Only then would the battle's fate be revealed.

[***]

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Kushina had barely missed the intended blow to a chakra point on her forehead as she slid under Hiashi's two-fingered strike, her arms crossed over her chest. Even without his Byakugan, Hiashi had memorized all the vital points on the human body. Upon realizing he had missed, he quickly turned toward Kushina--who was crouched on the ground, her back toward him and her arms suddenly cast out from her body. With a wide-arc of arm movement, the formerly-grounded chakra blades unearthed themselves, flying through the air toward the unexpecting Hiashi. In an almost elegant pattern, the blades crossed over one another's path before slicing deeply into the back of Hiashi's ankles. The blades continued on their arc, being pulled along the nearly invisible chakra strings before reaching Kushina's palms as she quickly jumped to her feet, spinning toward Hiashi in expectation.

Pale gray eyes became unfocused as he registered the searing pain of the vital tendons being sliced through. He stood on shaky feet, staring at the redhead while not daring to move. Kushina studied his reaction, as if awaiting Hiashi to strike. The thick red blood slowly pooled around his legs, spreading outward with each passing second. With a quick spin on her fingers, the blades were placed back in their holders on her hips.

"H-How?" Hiashi choked, a new sheen of sweat beading on his upper lip. He clenched his fists, trying to ignore the ripping pain in his calves.

Kushina shrugged, "We all have our weaknesses. I just used my clones to find your blind spot."

Hiashi's eyes floated to his left, where he felt his brother's presence. He knew as well as anyone, that the Byakugan's blind spot was not common knowledge. How had she known about it? His fingers crept over his shoulder, feeling for the bony prominences of his vertebrae. He found it right below his neck, between the spines of his scapulae.

_So she had hidden until I thought I had found her real body_, he furiously thought. Given her hiding distance, such a small blind spot would project a wide enough arc for her to hide. He had been negligent. And it had cost him dearly. She had stalked her prey. Now, he was maimed and unable to efficiently walk or move. With his balance disturbed and the pain intensifying, Hiashi fell to his knees. He palms hit the earth as he attempted to prevent himself from prostrating himself at his opponent's feet. He couldn't deny the irony of the movement: him on his knees before Uzumaki Kushina—as if begging for his life.

Begging for forgiveness.

Kushina slowly approached the Hyuuga heir as he soaked in his own sticky blood. He did not look up to meet her gaze as she hesitantly walked toward him. She took one cautious step after another, her head angled and fists clenched as she stared him down.

Her voice was a low, angry whisper, "It's over, Hyuuga. You've been defeated."

Hiashi said nothing, the pain and blood loss bringing him dangerously close to an impending state of shock. Kushina took another step, as she studied her enemy.

"You took something from Arashi, and you attempted to take my life. Perhaps I should take something in return. Maybe those precious eyes of yours—the ones you so highly value. It would be the perfect retribution for what you did," she threatened, her voice a low rumble that no one but the two of them could hear.

"You wouldn't--" Hiashi's unfocused gaze swept upward as he licked his dry, cracked lips.

"No," Kushina shook her head sadly, after a few moments of looking over his frantic expression, "I wouldn't....though you damn well deserve it." She seemed somewhat disappointed in herself at the empty threat. She knelt down in front of him so that they were at eye level, "I'll leave those eyes of yours so that you'll one day see your precious Main House bring you disappointment."

He had never considered that he could lose to her. _Never. _There was no defeat in the Main House. There was no room for disappointment. Hiashi quickly raised his right hand to strike at the vital point on Kushina's head. She didn't flinch as his fingers flickered short of their intended target. She sadly shook her head, swatting his hand away. He slumped over from the momentum, the earth rotating with him as his body hit the ground and his neck snapped from the impact.

Kushina stood, her hands on her hips as she stared down at Hiashi. She so badly wanted to remember her furious thoughts of rage, but she knew that revenge would not be what Arashi would seek. He would seek justice. And she had been just.

"Pathetic," she whispered as Hiashi's vision grew dark and his eyelids heavy. Her words sank into his unconsciousness with him.

Loud cheers rang out as the proctor immediately claimed the victor after a brief nod from the Hokage. Kushina grinned as Ken ran out and met her, a stupid smile plastered on his face. Kushina had opened her mouth to unleash a characteristically sarcastic comment about how silly Ken's face looked, but the words never left her mouth. Instead, Kushina slumped forward into a stranger's arms as her body succumbed to the consequences of her chakra release on her mind and body.

[***]

* * *

[***]

Kushina opened her eyes, the light blindingly bright as she shielded herself from its radiance.

"Where'm I?" she mumbled, her throat dry and scratchy.

"You're resting," Ken quickly answered, peering at her as he jumped to his feet.

Hitoshi's smiling face appeared next to her teammate. Kushina weakly smiled back, feeling as if her energy had been completely drained. Why was she so fatigued? She turned to find herself once again beside Arashi's bed. An IV snaked into her arm, a large bag of clear fluid slowly dripping into the tube. She traced her finger over the tape that secured the needle in her forearm.

"Did you at least win your match?" Kushina asked, suddenly aware that the exams must still be going on.

"Um," Ken answered, his eyes darting toward Hitoshi as the genin cleared his throat.

"What?" Kushina's eyes flew open as she attempted to sit up. Her heart began to race as a heavy feeling sank in. "What's goin' on? Tell me, dammit!"

"It's Lady Sarutobi," came the familiar voice from across the room.

Kushina jumped at the sound of his voice—she hadn't noticed him in the room. It also didn't help that she recognized his vest as the one she face-planted in right before she passed out in the arena. The blood rushed to her face at the memory.

Minato was still leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest and his face etched with worry as his eyes flickered over Kushina's face. Terror began to claw at the back of her throat. A deep burning sensation filled her stomach as it lurched.

"Is s-s-she alright?" the words slowly left her mouth. Why couldn't she think straight? She shook the heaviness from her head as she tried to rise from the bed.

"She's in labor," Minato answered flatly.

Kushina's eyes never left his face. She appreciated his honesty. The looks from her team told her that they did not think she should be privy to such information at the moment. Despite his open honesty, something about Minato's voice concerned her. It was as if he had carefully chosen his words so as not to upset her for one reason or another....

"So she's going to have a baby!" Kushina warbled, grinning half-heartedly. Maybe she was over-analyzing Minato, but she would test _those _waters. "That's good news....right, Namikaze?"

"Under _normal _circumstances, yes," Minato agreed, his eyes darting toward the floor as the subtle inflection caught her ear. It was as if he was trying to give her the information without actually spelling it out for her. Ken and Hitoshi said nothing, both watching the exchange in uncomfortable silence.

"Normal?" Kushina echoed, her smile fading quickly. She looked around the room, their looks not missed by her. "Why's everyone so serious?"

"Her labor is...somewhat premature," Minato's voice was soft as he answered her, "so I suggest that we wait and see what--"

"Be a fuckin' man, Namikaze! Tell her the truth!" Ken quickly interrupted, turning an ashen face toward Kushina. He had obviously not caught the subtle exchange, finally choosing to just _tell _Kushina. "The Hokage put a hold on the exams. Just stopped them!"

"Why--" Kushina croaked, her mouth suddenly dry.

Ken's voice wavered, the concern evident in his eyes, "Lady Sarutobi is pretty sick—they aren't even sure if she's gonna make it! She's already lost a lot of blood--"

Ken was never given the chance to complete his sentence, as Kushina had ripped the IV from her arm and had darted out the door. The three visitors were left to listen to the soft dripping of the fluid bag on the floor and the mechanical noise of the machine breathing for Arashi.


	17. Selfish Selflessness

**A/N: Wow, this chapter was really tough to write (which explains the delay)! I had a difficult time deciding which way to go with the story, and I hope you find it acceptable! I want to thank my readers and reviewers, as you keep me (and this story) going! I enjoy developing these two characters as well as building the world around them. I hope you'll continue to stick with my story. Thank you all, from the bottom of my cold, donut-loving, cake-baking heart! **

Anonymous Reviewers

_kaylomaylo_: it's alright, you can be addicted, I don't think this can hurt you! ;)

_M-R_: when I read your review, I was bummed I couldn't respond. I'm flattered you think this story is worthy, and I'm always on board for a little (or a lot) of swearing, my friend :D

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**To ALL: Please review after reading! This was a draining chapter and I'd appreciate knowing what you were thinking (if anything...)! Enjoy & Happy Reading!  
**

_**disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto_

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[*****]

The sound of her feet trampling on the rooftops was drowned out by the blood that was thundering in her ears. What had happened after she collapsed? Had her fight been the catalyst to the chain of events that surrounded Lady Sarutobi's early labor? Did _she _cause this?

_No! _her mind screamed as she forced herself in the direction of Konoha's massive hospital. _She had been warned that something was wrong! This is not your fault, it's a risk of pregnancy, remember?_

It was the explanation Lady Sarutobi had given her last week, when Kushina saw her leaning over the counter, her fingers white as she gripped the tiled surface. Sweat was beading on her forehead as she gritted her teeth. Kushina had instantly been prepared to call for help.

"_Kaa-chan! What's wrong? Are you hurt?" _

"_No...no, I'm fine. Just minor cramping, it'll pass." A weak smile was offered. _

"_It doesn't look so minor...sure you don't want me to call the old guy?" _

"_No, my dear..."_

"_Is it your stomach? The baby?" _

_A slight nod. "I think so, yes." _

"_Is it ready to be born?" Confusion. _

"_No, not yet...just a minor consequence of having the responsibility of carrying baby, Kushina." Stronger smile. More convincing. _

"_OK...if you're sure.."  
_

"_...I'll be fine...it's already passing." _

"_I sure hope you don't have to deal with this all they way until she's born, kaa-chan!"  
_

Had Lady Sarutoi known, then, that something was wrong? Was she in denial? Was it related to the woman who had visited Lady Sarutobi—the same one Kushina had overheard pleading with the Hokage's wife? Kushina remembered that visit from the young medic. She had been so fervent in her pleas, warning Lady Sarutobi of the possibility of some catastrophic event. But...what had it been?

It had been _this_, Kushina was certain.

Kushina pushed her thoughts away as she pressed forward. Her muscles screamed from the exertion, obviously angry that the kunoichi had not let them recover. Now she was recklessly clamoring over the rooftops, her feet pounding on clay tiling as she occasionally slipped on the slick surface. The sun had long ago set and the moon was providing the only light for Kushina's hasty excursion. She leaped from building top to building top, finding each jump to be more of an effort for her body. She felt as if she had aged a hundred years in the few hours she had been unconscious.

She braced herself for an especially long jump as she launched herself over a large, empty lot. She quickly realized her error as she began to descend much too early.

"Shit!' she hissed, gritting her teeth as she recognized her error. There was no way she would reach the opposite building.

She should have known better than to push herself like this. Her body heavily dropped from the height of the tall building as she furiously considered her options in preventing the travesty that would soon be her body on the pavement below. Her mind cursed her sluggishness as she fell, quickly approaching impending doom. _Think, Kushina! _

"Gotcha!" came the grunt from beside her as her arm was slung over a hard, bony shoulder.

Kushina's eyes grew wide as a second shoulder supported her left arm and she was lifted back into the towering heights of Konoha.

"That was a close one," Shikaku scoffed from next to her, his eyes focused straight ahead as his dark hair whipped behind him.

"Holy hell, Uzumaki! You got a death wish?" Tsume growled from next to her, sending an angry glance Kushina's way.

"Huh?" Kushina's mouth fell open in shock as her two friends hurriedly continued in the direction she had been headed before that minor set back.

"Nothin'!" Tsume barked, "You're just lucky Kuromaru and I could sniff you out fast enough!"

Kushina could see the shadow of the lumbering canine beside Tsume. He leered at her, his injured eye covered with a patch. His torn ear was bandaged, making him a humorous sight to someone who didn't know the circumstances surrounding his injuries.

"You're suddenly at a loss for words," Shikaku smirked as they continued toward their destination.

"Eh?" Kushina drawled, still in utter shock from her friends' appearances. "H-How did you find me?"

"You really wanna know?" Tsume offered, raising an eyebrow mockingly.

"Yes!" Kushina nodded, licking her lips as she found her footing.

"I have her, Tsume," Shikaku grunted, allowing Tsume to run free.

The Inuzuka kunoichi continued in stride next to the two shinobi as Shikaku supported Kushina's weight while she allowed herself to be dragged toward the hospital. Kushina had to admit, she never expected Shikaku to go out of his way to help anyone but himself, unless a particular young kunoichi was involved. But, Kushina knew that Yoshino had no interest in the Nara heir whatsoever.

Tsume grinned at Kushina, "Namikaze told us you'd be headin' toward the hospital!"

"He what? _Him_?" Kushina could barely spit the words out, her eyes growing wide with disbelief.

Shikaku sighed, he hated having to explain something that seemed so perfectly reasonable to comprehend, "He must have predicted your reaction, because he found Tsume and informed her that you would most likely be traveling toward the hospital and would be in need of some slight assistance. It's really quite easy to grasp."

Kushina ignored Shikaku's jab at her intelligence, closing her eyes as she tried to shake the woozy feeling from her head. Minato had planned this? Or at least suspected it? Was she _that_ predictable? Despite disliking the blonde jonin, she couldn't deny that his ability to read others was impressive.

"What a character," Kushina muttered.

"I'm not going to lie, Uzumaki," Tsume interrupted, "he's not so bad. Even easier on the eyes than I remember!"

"Not now," Kushina groaned, her stomach sinking from Tsume's sudden admiration.

"Just sayin'!" Tsume laughed as the hospital began to grow larger from their approach.

"Girls," Shikaku shook his head, "I'll never get 'em!"

"You sure as hell won't, Nara!" Tsume howled.

"Shut up," the shadow-wielding shinobi muttered under his breath.

"Anyway," Tsume pointed ahead, "we are just gonna help you get to where you need to go! Lady Sarutobi is there!"

Kushina said nothing, her throat closing up and her eyes prickling with emotion. "Thanks, guys!"

"Don't get all soft on us, now," Tsume sighed as Kuromaru growled his agreement. "It's not becoming of a chunin!"

"Huh?" Kushina gaped at Tsume.

"What? You really think that after such a kick ass fight, that you'll _not _get it?" The familiar red tattoos crinkled on her cheeks as she flashed a very sharp pair of incisors.

"It was quite the fight," Shikaku admitted. "I, for one, didn't think you had a chance."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Kushina rolled her eyes. Leave it to Shikaku to take away from a potentially touching moment.

"Anytime," he smirked.

"That's far enough!" came a voice as they slid to a halt in front of the hospital.

The dark outline of an unfamiliar form approached. Kushina squinted into the darkness in an attempt to identify the newcomer. Her eyes were still teary, preventing her from identifying whoever had stopped them.

"Eh, it's only Namikaze," Tsume grunted, sniffing the air.

"Minato?" Kushina echoed as Shikaku removed her arm from around his shoulder. "But...you were back _there_!" she jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

Minato gave the trio a half-smile as the moonlight spilled over his blonde hair. His laughing eyes strayed to Kushina, "Yes, I _was_."

The blonde grinned as Kushina's mouth dropped open in shock, "Tsume, Shikaku, you two have done well. I'll take it from here."

"What does _that _mean?" Tsume studied him with wary eyes.

"It means that ANBU is guarding the hospital, and the orders were that no one was to enter," Minato answered calmly, ignoring Tsume's vulgarity.

"But...but I am part of the Hokage's family!" Kushina argued, her heart thudding in her chest. _Wasn't she somebody_?

"Yes, but you were not expected to be here," Minato nodded. "And ANBU take their orders very seriously."

"Then how the hell will I get in there?" Kushina began to panic as the bile rose in her throat. "I-I have to see her!"

Minato said nothing for a few moments, stretching out an open palm toward her, "You'll have to trust me, then."

"Huh?" Kushina's face screwed up in confusion as she glared at his proffered hand.

"Guess we leave you here," Shikaku muttered, glancing at Tsume.

"Just get her inside, Namikaze," Tsume said, patting Kushina on the shoulder before she and Kuromaru followed Shikaku's lead.

Kushina said nothing as she stood there, staring at Minato's fingers as they reached for her. "How are you gonna help?"

"Because," he retracted his hand, "I'm going to get you inside."

"But won't you get into trouble?" Kushina asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Eh, nothing I can't handle," he smiled sadly. "Besides, according to you, I have a lifetime of groveling in order for you to forgive me."

Kushina chewed her lip, feeling slightly sorry about her earlier transgressions, "Yeah...about that..."

"We each have our own explanations for our behaviors, and perhaps someday we can see eye-to-eye," he took a step forward, "But, right now is not the time for you to apologize to me!"

"Hey!" Kushina cried, obviously nonplussed at his words, "I'm not gonna apolog-"

Before she could finish her rant, Minato quickly pulled her toward him. She fell into him from the force of the jerking movement. She didn't have time to fight his arm as it wrapped around her waist since the wind was knocked from her as the scene around the pair changed. She was immediately blinded by bright lights as strong hands steadied her.

"We're here," he murmured into her ear.

"Wha?" she rubbed her eyes. Was that a Teleportation Jutsu? She had never seen one, though she had heard of their existence! "How did you-"

Minato's face turned serious as his blue eyes looked past her. He put a protective arm out in front of Kushina.

"Hey! How did you get in here!" the masked ANBU yelled, his hand going to his weapon as he warily approached them. "Namikaze Minato, is that you?"

"He had my permission," came the gruff answer as the Hokage approached,"You may stand down."

Minato and the ANBU quickly bowed their heads as Minato spoke, "She had awoken, and she can be very...er, forceful when she wishes, Lord Hokage."

Kushina gave him a warning glare before realizing he was offering an explanation to the Hokage. Apparently, her appearance had _not _been planned after all, despite the Hokage's words to his subordinate.

"That she is," the Hokage's voice was deep and gritty as he quickly removed something from the bowing ANBU. He studied it momentarily, his eyebrow rising slightly, "So you _are _perfecting that jutsu..."

"I will excuse myself and return to my post, Hokage-sama," Minato quickly interrupted, his eyes following the Hokage's movement and saying nothing in response to the kage's comment. Kushina could detect some silent exchange between the two, though she had no idea what it was all about.

"That is advisable," Hiruzen murmured, his voice holding slight amusement. "Minato, please do not bring any more visitors, no matter how cute they may be."

"Sir?" Minato's eyes grew wide as he looked at the leader, his expression incredulous.

Hiruzen tipped his hat forward, "You are dismissed."

In a puff of smoke, Minato disappeared, leaving Kushina to stand with Hiruzen. She looked over the Hokage, quickly realizing how serious Lady Sarutobi's situation was.

"Where is she?" Kushina croaked, her throat suddenly dry.

"The physicians are seeing her," the Hokage replied, his voice tight with bitterness, "It was preferred that everyone leave the room."

"And the baby?" Kushina pressed forward.

Why did Hiruzen look so worn? He said nothing, removing his hat and revealing his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, pursing his lips as he did so. He didn't need to speak the words, as Kushina could determine the answer to her question from his expression.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears suddenly filling her eyes. She wasn't sure if she were crying for the child's death, the distraught Hokage, Lady Sarutobi's loss, or the combination of all three. "I'm so sorry! I know how excited she was..."

Hiruzen grunted, saying nothing as he walked past her. Kushina turned around, watching him stand and stare the door. It was the first time she noticed the room behind her. _This must be a private section of the hospital_, she told herself. Muffled voices could be heard on the other side of the door as Kushina stood next to the Hokage. She heard the ANBU stand and shuffle to the other end of the hall. She said nothing, silently staring the door, waiting for whatever was on the other side to announce itself. She was unsure of how much time had passed, but the same dark-haired physician that had visited the Hokage's mansion weeks earlier swiftly exited through the door. The woman looked up to see the Hokage, her body immediately growing rigid. Her eyes swiftly passed over Kushina.

"Lord Hokage," the black-haired woman murmured as she bowed her head in respect.

"How is she?" he asked, his voice soft and filled with urgency. Kushina glanced up at him, noticing the red-rims around his eyes. She felt her stomach sink in fear. If the Hokage was in _this _condition, how was Lady Sarutobi?

The physician's face fell, "She is stable, but her condition is fragile. I-I cannot give you a prognosis."

"I see," he whispered, clenching the Hokage's hat in his hands.

"Can we see her, at least?" Kushina timidly asked, her voice shaking as she accepted the severity of the situation.

The dark-haired woman's mouth drew into a straight line as she looked over the duo. She nodded, the movement awkward and curt. "I think that is best, I'm sorry. Your sons, they should be present as well-"

"I will call on them as I see fit," Hiruzen cut the older woman off, his voice stern.

"Yes, sir. I was out of line, sir!" she dropped her head. "I...I had been worried about this circumstance."

"What circumstance?" Kushina whispered, looking from one adult to the other. "What is going on?"

The woman looked at Kushina, sadness in her eyes. "Are you Kushina? She has been asking for you," her dark eyes darted to the Hokage.

He nodded, "Kushina, you should go see her."

"But what about you?" Kushina asked, looking up at him in confusion. She was still not entirely sure as to what is going on. What had happened?

Hiruzen closed his eyes, "She would never forgive me..."

"Huh? Gramps, you're talking nonsense!" Kushina's voice was growing louder, more shrill.

"Girl, are you gonna keep arguing with me?" he asked, his gaze meeting hers. Kushina could see the overwhelming pain floating in those tortured eyes. He had just lost a daughter and his wife was obviously in serious condition.

"Fine," Kushina sighed, turning and staring at the door. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for what state she would find her foster mother in. Her hand rested on the door as she turned back to face the haggard Hiruzen.

A weak smile crossed her face, quickly growing into a large grin, "It's gonna be alright, Old Man. Believe it!"

Hiruzen slowly closed his eyes, nodding his head, softly, as Kushina disappeared. "I hope so, my dear," he whispered. "I wish it with all my heart."

[***]

* * *

[***]

"Kushina," Lady Sarutobi murmured, her chestnut hair cascading around her head as it spilled across the starched white pillow.

Kushina stifled a gasp as she saw her. Lady Sarutobi's face was pale beyond anything Kushina had ever seen. The hair around her face was matted to her skin, and her eyes were moist, as if she had recently been crying. Kushina noticed the crusted outline of blood that had been on the floor, telling her that someone had not properly cleaned. Crisp white covers engulfed Lady Sarutobi's body, her stomach still swollen despite the empty womb. Kushina quickly knelt at the bedside, her hand falling into the older woman's outstretched fingers.

"I'm so sorry!" Kushina sobbed as the emotion hit her. She could see the sadness on Lady Sarutobi's face.

"Don't be sorry, dear Kushina," the woman cooed, her hand pushing a red strand of hair from the girl's eyes, "These things happen, so they tell me." A pained look crossed her face as she said the words, but her lips continued to smile.

"What h-happened?" Kushina hiccuped, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Lady Sarutobi opened her mouth to answer as a tear slid down her face, "I had been foolish."

"Was it because you didn't listen to that stuffy doctor when she came to the manor?" Kushina asked, not entirely understanding her foster mother's words.

"You heard that did you?" Lady Sarutobi's voice was soft as her eyes flickered to the ceiling. She was silent for some time, a few more tears softly sliding down her cheeks. A slight smile pulled at her lips as she turned to face Kushina, her eyes red and puffy. She stroked Kushina's slender hand.

"I was caught up in my own fantasy that I didn't realize what I had in front of me...does that make sense?" she whispered, her eyes wandering over Kushina's face.

"Are you sick because I scared you during my fight?" Kushina's voice warbled as she staved off a fit of hysterics. She wasn't used to such talk, nor did she know what to make of it.

"No...nothing like that," the older woman whispered. "You made me so proud, today. Any parent would be proud of the bravery shown. Your parents were lucky to have you..."

"H-Huh?" Kushina whimpered. Why were they suddenly speaking about her parents? Her _dead _parents?

"It must have been wonderful to have a daughter like you. To give birth to you and to watch you take your first steps..." her voice trailed off as her eyes grew misty and slightly unfocused.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, kaa-chan!" the girl's lip trembled, "Let's talk about something else!"

Lady Sarutobi smiled at her, her dark eyes filled with a deep sadness that Kushina could not comprehend, "Oh, I've just been too selfish for my own good, Kushina. I have hurt those that I care most about."

Kushina felt the panic rising in her throat as she spoke about Hiruzen, "It's not your fault—about the baby! He's not mad, he just wants you to get better, too!"

"You are the daughter I've always wanted, Kushina," the older woman's voice was soft as she raised her cold fingers to Kushina's cheek. "It was a miracle that you came into our lives, and I can only imagine how proud your birth parents would be of you."

"You and Gramps are my parents, too!" Kushina insisted, "Don't talk like this, please!"

"Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for bringing smiles to my family. Thank you for being an older sister to Asuma. But most of all, thank you for being a wonderful daughter. You are my daughter, even if I didn't give birth to you," Lady Sarutobi smiled through her tears as she poured her heart out to Kushina.

Kushina sobbed, unsure of what to make of Lady Sarutobi's cryptic speech. She didn't look as ill as the physician made it sound, but why did she speak as if she were giving up? "Y-You're not leaving us, are you?"

"Leaving you?" the Hokage's wife whispered, "Of course I'd never leave you. You'll always have me, Kushina. My darling girl." Her fingers squeezed Kushina's hand.

"Good," Kushina smiled, swallowing the brief fit of hysterics that had almost presented itself, "you scared me for a second."

"Don't be scared," Lady Sarutobi smiled. A sudden, pained look crossed her face as her eyes squeezed shut.

"Kaa-chan!" Kushina cried, recognizing the urgency behind that look.

"Just post-labor pains, that's all," Lady Sarutobi smiled, though it was weak. "I'd like to speak to Hiruzen now."

"O-OK," Kushina nodded vigorously. "I"ll go get him. What 'bout Asuma? I'm sure he's worried!"

"Asuma shouldn't see me like this, he's too young," Lady Sarutobi whispered.

"Yeah, you're right," Kushina nodded, "He can see you when you're all better!"

"...all better..." Lady Sarutobi's voice was soft as she repeated Kushina's statement, though the kunoichi did not hear her.

"Get some rest," Kushina urged her, "I'll come back to see you in a bit."

"I'd like that," Kushina's foster mother smiled, another tear sliding down her cheek as Kushina hurriedly ran from the room to fetch the Hokage.

[***]

* * *

[***]

Kushina chewed her nails as she waited for the Hokage to pass through the doors, to tell her that everything was going to be fine. She knew that losing the baby had taken its toll on the Hokage's wife, but the two could always try for another baby, couldn't they? Minutes turned into hours, and Kushina's eyes began to grow heavy as she waited for Hiruzen to reappear. She had began to drift off, curled up into a ball on the floor of the hallway. Hushed voices filtered in and out of her consciousness as she nodded off, though she was unsure if any of it was real.

"...baby had been dead for some time..."

"...not able to bear children ever again..."

"...lucky to make it through the night..."

"...all the warning signs...ignored medical advice..."

"...didn't want to risk child's life...who would blame her..."

The sudden, screaming alarm force her head to jerk upright and her eyes to snap open as she quickly leaped to her feet. A nurse was pushing a noisy cart down the hall, running behind it as she crashed through the door to Lady Sarutobi's room.

"What's going on?" Kushina mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

She rubbed her eyes, her heart pounding as she tried to grasp what was happening. Why was everyone running? What was that noise? The alarm was blaring, echoing down the hall. The door to Lady Sarutobi's suite was flung open, and Kushina could see the sea of white around the Hokage's wife. Despite her confusion, she knew that something was terribly wrong. She quickly sprinted toward the room.

"Kaa-chan!" she screamed in terror.

"You can't go in there!" someone yelled as Kushina pushed past the outstretched arms with a sudden burst of strength.

"Is she alright? What' s going on in there?" Kushina yelled as another of the Hokage's clones stepped in front of her, blocking her access to the room as a various other staff members raced into the room. The door swung open again, and this time Kushina could see Lady Sarutobi. Her eyes were lifeless as they stared ahead, her lids half-closed. Her lips were upturned in a small smile, as if she found this all amusing. Kushina watched in horror as someone unfamiliar began chest compressions.

"NO! Let me_ in there_, dammit!" Kushina wailed as realization washed over her, weighing her down.

"I cannot, I'm sorry, my child," came the familiar voice as the clone enveloped Kushina in its arms.

"She's gonna be alright! She'll be fine! She promised!" Kushina screeched as tears of fear streaked her face. Her chest heaved with intense sobs as the door closed, once again muffling the sounds within the room.

"Let me go!" she yelled, fighting against the crushing grip of the clone as it held her close.

She slid against its body, until she was sitting on the floor, the memory of the night of her parents' slaughter suddenly fresh in her head. She pulled her knees to her chest and began to slowly rock back and forth as tears fell freely down her cheeks, splashing the floor.

"Please be alright, please be alright..." Kushina continued to repeat as she rocked in the arms of the Hokage's clone while the woman she had come to love as as mother was losing her life on the other side of the door.

[***]

* * *

[***]

The sun shone high in a cloudless sky at Lady Sarutobi's funeral. It was a beautiful day, too beautiful for saying goodbyes.

The people of Konoha stood outside, facing the shrine with the bright flowers overflowing the casket lid. One of the elders spoke about the cycle of life and death while the Hokage stood nearby, his back to the crowd as his hand rested on his wife's final bed. Kushina stood with Asuma, holding the boy's hand as he silently sobbed, trying his best to be the man he thought his father wanted him to be.

Kushina knew that people would whisper about her, but she didn't care. She proudly wore the soft pink kimono—a gift that Lady Sarutobi had given her such a short time ago. The woman's eyes had shone with happiness as she handed the present to Kushina, who had been less than enthusiastic about the color. Not today, however. Today, Kushina wore that pink kimono with pride. It was what Lady Sarutobi would have wanted, she knew. She didn't care if everyone else glared at her in their stiff black outfits, whispering about her inappropriate attire. She wasn't doing this for them. She was doing this for the mother she had just lost.

Lady Sarutobi had passed shortly after the incident at the hospital, apparently a complication of some condition related to her pregnancy. Kushina couldn't exactly remember what it was called, but she faintly recalled one of the hurried conversations that was passed between the Hokage and the hospital staff. The Sarutobi matriarch had been aware of the risks of continuing to carry a child under such conditions. The only sure treatment was to induce labor, and the Hokage's wife had chosen to dismiss such measures in order to ensure the life of her child. What she hadn't planned for was the loss of two lives that night: the child she coveted and her own.

The Hokage's wife had left behind many loved ones, including a husband and two sons. Her eldest son had offered to take Asuma for a month, in order to give the Hokage time to grieve over his wife's death. Kushina knew that the time to himself would be of benefit, as she had never seen the Hokage in such a state. Despite his attempts to hide his emotions from those closest to him, Kushina had heard his soft sobbing at night as she tried to quiet her own.

She had become the housekeeper at the mansion, quickly taking over Lady Sarutobi's duties. She prepared the meals, though the Hokage barely ate. Hiruzen buried himself in his work in an attempt to overcome his grief. Still, Kushina wasn't convinced that the older man was fine. He could scarcely look upon his own sons, much less speak to them as a father should. He rarely even spoke to Kushina, and she had always been able to elicit a smile from the kage.

Kushina squeezed Asuma's hand as she stared ahead, her tears having dried long ago. The wind picked up, blowing her hair into her face. She reached up and brushed the deep reddish locks from her eyes. She had cut her own hair the day before, pulling it up into a ponytail and slicing it off. The end result was a short bob that was much longer in the front that it was in the back. The hair she had removed was now neatly tucked into Lady Sarutobi's casket as Kushina's last parting gift. Her adopted mother would be buried with the hair she had so lovingly brushed each night for the past few years.

One by one, the mourners stepped up to the casket, silently offering their final farewells. Kushina hung back, watching as the crowd grew smaller in size. She was the last person to approach, as Hiruzen and Asuma watched from somewhere out of her line of sight.

"Goodbye, kaa-chan," Kushina whispered, her hand resting on the closed smoothness of the coffin lid, "I was blessed to have met you. Thank you for taking me in, giving me a new life. Tell my parents I love them, will ya?"

Her eyes were dry as she stepped back, watching the large black casket as it was slowly lifted off the risers and carried away. She stood there for some time, staring at the empty spot where Lady Sarutobi's body had just been, only moments before. Lost in her thoughts, Kushina didn't notice that Ken had remained behind, waiting for his teammate in the tiny square.

Kushina had already made the decision to move out of the Hokage's manor as soon as she could; it was no longer a place of welcoming for her. She would inform Hiruzen of her intentions, of course, but she didn't think it prudent to do it any time soon. She knew that Asuma would be devastated, but he was a strong kid and would, ultimately, be fine. Besides, he would see her often, as she had promised herself to look after him. She would always take care of him; he was her brother, even if not by blood.

Kushina took a step in the opposite direction from her teammate and the village. Right now, she didn't want to deal with anyone else while she was in such a foul mood. She knew that Ken wanted to be there for her and she appreciated the gesture, but she so badly wanted to remove herself from everything that had happened this week. Not only had Lady Sarutobi passed away, but Arashi had also awakened. While it should have been a joyous occasion, a dark cloud marred Team Five's reunion.

_Anterograde amnesia, _the doctor had called it, though neither Kushina nor Ken understood the implications. The Hyuuga had greeted his friends with a rare smile, extremely happy to see them. Kushina realized what the doctor had meant when, minutes later, Arashi began to ask the same questions of his friends-as if he didn't remember what had been said only moments earlier.

It was because he _didn't_ remember. Arashi now lacked the ability to form new memories, mainly due to the damage his brain had sustained from the chunin exams. Following that realization, Kushina had to restrain Ken in order to prevent him from murdering Hyuuga Hiashi, who was only a few rooms down the hospital's hall.

"Where are you going?" came the softly spoken question, pulling Kushina away from her thoughts, "Shouldn't we be heading _that _way?"

Kushina didn't turn to face Ken, instead keeping her back to him as she answered, "To train, dummy."

"Your reason being?" Ken pressed on, concern evident in his voice as he took a cautious step forward. Did he think she was going to run away? Or that she was lying?

This time, Kushina turned so that she could glance at him over her shoulder, her voice filled with its usual impatience, "If I'm going to become the strongest kunoichi in this village, I'm not going to be able to do it by sitting on my butt and feeling sorry for myself!"

She didn't glimpse the look of understanding that crossed Ken's face as she once again turned away from him. Her mind was a whirlwind ofthoughts as she carefully lifted her face skyward. The sun shone on on her skin, its warmth returning something she had so recently lost.

It was hope.

Uzumaki Kushina had hope for the future that seemed so bleak.


	18. Enter Adulthood

**A/N: so, as most of you know, more about Kushina was revealed in this week's manga chapter! Unfortunately for me, my story doesn't exactly follow the flow of what Kushina had shared with Naruto. So, I won't have her actually saying, "dattebane" at the end of her sentences, I hope that you won't fault me for that! Despite my joy at seeing her, I was slightly disappointed at the story of her and Minato. My Kushina does come to Konoha around the same time, and she had never mentioned her parents, so I think my story could justly fill in the cracks between what Kushina shares with her son. My original plan was to her play a role in Minato's sealing of the demon anyhow, so at least I won, there! I hope you'll all forgive me for veering from Kishi's path at the moment. I don't want to end my story on that accord, and I'm hoping that all of you will continue to follow my story, despite having a slightly different version than the manga. I appreciate all of the readers, adds, and reviews! **

**I will make a note that my current clinical rotation is KILLING me. I don't even have time to do the laundry between all this BS, so my story may not be updated until after my big exam in early July. If you don't see anything from now until then, that's why. I haven't given up on the story! **

**Again, thank you all so much for your feedback/reviews! Keep 'em coming, please! Enjoy! (PS: there is a time skip). I apologize for any grammar/spelling errors, I'll fix them when I have time, just wanted to get this posted :D  
**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, I do take credit for my OC's_

[*****]**  
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[*****]

Kushina managed to keep smiling as he ripped her left sleeve at the shoulder. Dark, murderous eyes watched her expression as he slowly tore the lightweight fabric at its seams.

"Kinky, aren't you?" she purred, arching an eyebrow.

He said nothing as his eyes wandered over the cream colored flesh of her left arm. Kushina could see his masked relief at the absence of the tattoo. It was as if he had actually believed in the possibility that she could be something other than a bar waitress. A no one.

"I wasn't informed this would be a public show," Kushina continued, though her stomach flipped at the thought of having to do _that. _She had managed to save herself thus far...

But, it was a kunoichi's duty. Something they were prepared for; schooled in, even. If having sexual relations with an enemy would help the mission, then it was expected of her. She knew it from the day she entered the Academy: nothing was sacred. Not even her virginity.

But, it wasn't that she was hesitant about losing her virginity. _She_ wanted to decide where and when. She could have lost _that _years ago, had she wanted to. It was as if, when she hit the age of seventeen, some light switch went off in the village, signifying that the former Whirlpool kunoichi was an available, attractive young woman. She had many choices for suitors and she had even dated some of the available young men. Some were shinobi; some were not. But, none had ever been able to hold her interest for more than a few months, at most. The only one that had...well, they weren't on speaking terms at the moment, mainly due to her inability to maintain her promises.

"Heya boss!" one of the henchman howled from the other side of the room, "Dontcha wanna check _both _arms? In case da women get it on a diff'rent one?"

Dark slate eyes met deep blue as the rotund man's large hands went to her right shoulder. Kushina continued to smile, the corners of her lips curling in amusement, "You're gonna pay for this. Pretty dresses aren't cheap, you know."

He only grunted as he tore her right sleeve, finding nothing. Again, the hidden relief washed over him, though it wasn't missed by Kushina's careful eye. He released his hold on her left arm, "I gotta be careful. You know the rules."

"I see," Kushina sighed, pulling her arms from the torn sleeves of her silk wrap dress.

She threw the excess fabric aside as she heard one of the lackeys coming up beside her. He was waving his beer around in his drunken stupor, as he had most likely been drinking since the early morning. He laughed before taking a swig of his beverage.

"S'right, Bossman, those women ninja are nothin' to worry 'bout!" he waved his bottle in emphasis, wiping the spilled ale from this chin.

Kushina could feel the hair on the back of her neck bristle, but she knew that the mission was more important than this glutton's words. The large man seated beneath her straddled thighs laughed at his henchman's insinuation.

"And anotha thing-" the balding drunkard hiccuped, the bottle tipping from his hands and spilling all over Kushina, "Aw, dammit!"

Kushina closed her eyes, telling herself that killing everyone in the bar would compromise the mission, and she didn't feel like being the cause of a failed mission. No, that would be a bad thing. It also meant a reprimanding from the Hokage, himself. And she wasn't in the mood for those charades, either.

"Please excuse me, boys," Kushina batted her eyelashes as she smiled, "but I think I should use the ladies' room and, er, clean up a bit, no?"

"Hmph," the burly leader grunted, nodding his head. His dark eyes studied her from under heavy lids.

Kushina gently lowered her head as she gracefully managed to return to a respectable upright position. She adjusted her dress, frowning at the dark stain where the beer had spilled. Droplets of the strong ale slid down her arm. She smiled before turning toward the kitchen to clean herself. She wasn't worried about changing her attire, as she didn't want to risk having to buy another dress. She wasn't kidding, pretty silk dresses _were _expensive, and her ramen habit had been costing her nicely.

Her thoughts turned dark as her feet carried her toward the kitchen hidden in the back of the bar. Her eyes briefly met the bar owner's, and she could see the fear in his tired eyes. She wondered what the sudden paranoia in bar had been caused by, as she had been accepted into the illegal circle weeks ago. What had occurred that made the men suddenly suspicious? Especially of her? Her gaze flickered ahead as she pondered the owner's sudden worrisome look. Had he realized she wasn't really a simple bar waitress? Even if he had, would he tell the band of thugs that were currently his best customers?

Over the past two months, Kushina had become quite close with the Hanasaki family—both the older man and his wife. They rented a room to her on the tiny third floor of the building, happy for the steady source of extra income. Kushina knew the man's thoughts on having criminals pay his bills, but she also knew that raising a five-year-old and having one on the way was costly. She would do what she needed to if she were in his shoes, too. If he turned a blind eye, she couldn't blame him. Part of her felt guilty, though, at knowing she would have to eventually end the steady flow of cash and beer over the bar counter. They were still criminals, and they were supplying weapons and vital information to the Leaf's enemies. A war was looming, and the Hokage was doing his best to prevent it, despite the failing peace talks. Konoha did not want a fight, and Kushina was here to help Hiruzen's cause.

She had been living as another person for a couple of months, sending information to Konohagakure. Backup forces had been scattered around the village, doing their best to collect information as well. More recently, new forces had stealthily infiltrated the village, readying for a final strike against the rogue band of henchmen who were the current interest of Konoha.

She glanced over her shoulder; her employer had gone back to stocking the bar. _No, _she decided, _he doesn't have a clue_. Something else was going on, and she desperately wanted to figure out _what_. She found it odd that she was suddenly a suspect, after weeks of slowly gaining the group's trust. She was finally allowed to remain in the bar after hours—a time when various business associates trailed in and out of the bar, speaking to the portly gang leader and exchanging monies.

_Something else is going _on, she thought, her hand on the door.

"Mai."

"Hmm?" Kushina turned, a bright smile on her face as she raised an eyebrow at the fat man, "Need somethin', sugar?"

It was the alias she had been using for the past few months. She had chosen it herself, enjoying the freedom to give herself another name. A new identity. She enjoyed that part of each mission—becoming someone else. Whether it was a seductress or an assassin, Kushina liked not being herself.

The burly man with the scarred hand raised his bottle, "Another round of drinks, will ya?"

Kushina nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd of henchmen, "Sure, boys."

She grumbled under her breath as she quickly passed between the doors. She swiftly disappeared into the kitchen, grabbing a towel and dabbing the excess beer off of the delicate, pink fabric. She smiled, remembering how she once hated the color. It seemed like such a far away memory, something that had never truly existed. It had been been years since Lady Sarutobi's death, but Kushina would never frown at the color pink again.

In fact, she had quite a few items in her wardrobe that were pink. Various shades of pink, too. From dark mauve to bright coral, she was beginning to like the contrast of the color with her hair. Over the years, Kushina's hair had gone from a bright red to a deep golden auburn. She had let it grow, slowly coming to accept the fact that her hair was...well, _her_. Long ago were the days were children made fun of her tomato-red hair color. She had grown into a beautiful woman, arguably one of the most gorgeous in the village of Konoha.

No longer did anyone doubt Kushina's heritage, most forgetting she had hailed from the Land of Whirlpools. Instead, they proudly claimed her as their own. She was now twenty years old, no longer the bratty, snot-nosed, smart-mouthed girl she had once been. Instead, she was cheerful and kind, always bringing smiles to her friends' and acquaintances' faces.

Despite all of that, she would rather be known for her skills. She was a jonin, after all. She had trained religiously after Lady Sarutobi's death to earn the title. Some may have called it excessive or an obsession, but Kushina had used the time to help her heal her heart. Her losses drove her to greatness, and she had grown to become the kunoichi she dreamed of, exceeding the expectations of most. It may have taken her nearly two years to attain jonin status, but she was a force to be reckoned with, her reputation quickly spreading through the Leaf.

Kushina was lost in her thoughts as she held the thin towel against her hip. She could feel the cold wetness of the dress against her skin. She knew she would soon reek of stale beer, and would invariably have to get rid of the dress. She plucked at the stray strings around the shoulder seam, silently cursing the gang leader for ruining her favorite dress.

He had been looking for an ANBU tattoo. Kushina smiled, as she remembered turning down Hiruzen's offer to promote her to ANBU. She had simply shrugged the idea off, deciding against it. She didn't like the notion of running around with a mask on her face, or so she told the Hokage. He had merely shook his head and chuckled at her denial.

Kushina's eyes wandered over the paleness of her right arm. Did she really want the dark ink to stain her skin? What would it look like once it was tattooed? She silently envisioned what the mark would look like, twisting her arm to get a better idea.

The loud sound of crashing pulled Kushina from her considerations as her eyes darted toward the doorway. Muffled shouting could be heard from bar, and Kushina knew that it was not her imagination. She peered through the small hole in the door, spying the men grabbing the bar owner and pulling him over the counter.

"Not good," Kushina mumbled, quickly realizing that the thugs were moving onto their next suspect. Something had definitely stirred the gang's attention. Perhaps her mission ended today...

A clone suddenly appeared next to her, quickly bowing at her, awaiting commands, "Lady?"

"Go to the inn around the corner. The Bronzed Eagle. Inside, find the manager and tell him that the _crimson fox calls_," she informed the replica.

"Yes, ma'am!" the clone chirped, spinning on heel and running from the back entrance of the building.

Another loud crash rang out, forcing her head attention toward the doors separating the back of the bar from the front. She wiped her hands on her dress, still damp with beer. This was no time to worry about a silly piece of material, she knew. She had to act quickly, or she may very well have an innocent man's blood on her hands.

[***]

* * *

[***]

"Boys, here's your refresh-" Kushina called as she appeared through the doors, large tray in hand.

Her voice trailed off as she saw the familiar man standing in front of the gang leader, Kushina's hitai'ite in his hand. The fabric dangled from between his fingers as the fat man stared at it, his eyes flickering between the bar owner and the Leaf's symbol.

The man holding her forehead protector was the same drunk who came in every day, ordered the same drink, and passed out in the same spot, smelling of piss and cheap cigarettes. Right now, he looked very awake and with it as the gang leader handed him his payment.

_A tracker! _Kushina told herself, angry that she hadn't realized it earlier. Had this man gone through the Hanasaki family's belongings, looking for evidence? He had obviously found Kushina's. She did her best to smile, staying in character with the hope of alleviating the tensions of the situation without blowing her guise. Maybe she could smooth this all over with a reasonable explanation. Her eyes darted to the white-faced bar owner, who's mouth dripped with blood. His lip was split and his nose was bleeding, but he was otherwise alert, despite the fear in his eyes.

"Boys!" she tsked, "Now, now, what's going on here?"

No one turned to acknowledge her, and Kushina felt a stab of annoyance at the situation. She set the tray of beer down, quickly finding her way toward the gang leader.

"You gonna tell us?" one of the thugs holding the bar owner asked, nodding toward the evidence in front of their boss.

The owner's teeth chattered. "I-I know nothing, I s-s-swear on my family's life! I don't know what that is!"

"Oh yeah?" the boss uncrossed his arms as he nodded to his henchman. One slammed a fist into the barkeep's abdomen.

They grabbed him by the elbows, jerking him upright. The fat leader hissed, grabbing the hitai'ite from the tracker, "You lie, coward!"

Kushina watched the tracker count the coins in the satchel he was handed. He smiled, tucking it into his coat, his eyes quickly meeting Kushina's. He winked at her.

"No!" the owner shrieked his denial, "I swear it!"

"STOP IT!" Kushina screamed, quickly intervening, her arms on her hips as she stood in front of the gang leader. She furrowed her brow, glancing around at the group. "You boys stop fighting and just drink up! I brought out new rounds! There is no fighting in this bar!"

"Mai, get outta my way," the boss hissed, dismissively waving his hand in the air, the hitai'ite swaying with the movement of his large hands.

"No, whatever it is, he's innocent. I know it!" she pleaded, doing her best acting.

If she could get them to calm down, then perhaps fighting may be avoided. The tracker stood behind the gang's leader, his arms crossed over his chest, a smile of amusement on his rugged face.

"Boss...maybe...maybe..we was wrong?" one man suggested, eyeing the fresh beer with interest.

"Shuddup!" another yelled, "Bossman is never wrong!"

Kushina felt a hand grab her arm, as someone attempted to pull her from the situation, "Mai, you better jus' get outta da way!"

"No," Kushina tugged her arm free, "Hanasaki-sama did nothing! I can swear to it! Whatever you think he did-"

"He has Leaf shinobi lurkin' around, you know anything 'bout dat?" the boss growled, eyeing Kushina with interest.

"Nothin'," Kushina lied, her heart racing. She laughed, "Where did you hear somethin' ridiculous like that? Nonsense! Hanasaki-sama would _never _do that."

The man looked her over, suspicion still on his face, "I have my sources. And I have this."

She tried to push farther, "There no Leaf shinobi in this town! How do you know that man didn't just find this...thing somewhere else? Maybe he just wants paid!"

"The boot prints that—oof!" someone muttered behind her before he was quickly silenced.

Definitely a tracker, Kushina realized. If someone had deduced the Leaf's presence from shoe prints, then there was more to this band of thugs than Kushina had anticipated. The leader apparently thought it enough information to search the bar owner's living quarters as well as her own. She said a silent prayer, hoping to salvage the situation.

Kushina gently placed a hand the scarred boss's arm, after sauntering toward him, "Think about it: you're feeding his family. You are paying my wages. He wouldn't risk that, would he? You're gonna believe this guy?"

The leader's face revealed nothing, and Kushina found herself slightly annoyed at the tracker's sly grin. What else did he have? she wondered. Perhaps if she changed tactics...

Her voice became a low whisper as she spoke, "If you forget about this, and are a good boy, I'll give you something..." A bright smile lit up her face as she hid her internal disgust.

"What?" the burly leader muttered, his interest suddenly piqued.

Kushina managed to blush as she batted her eyelashes, "Whatever you want, just stop this nonsense."

She felt him react: his body slumping in the chair. A warm body next to him that night _did _sound enticing, "Whattya got in mind?"

A few whistles interrupted them. "Whatever you want," she whispered, coming closer and brushing her breasts against his arm.

She staved off the nausea as his breath became shallow. Kushina was winning the battle and she knew it. His arm slowly dropped and he nodded toward his two henchman. She heard the men drop her employer, and she quickly turned to tend to him.

"Hanasaki-san!" she breathed, kneeling beside him.

"Why?" the bar owner croaked softly, "Why would you do that-"

"I found something that might interest you," came the deep voice as the tracker watched the scene with amusement. He reached into his coat, pulling a square piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to the gang leader.

"Eh?" the fat man gathered his senses as his men immediately flocked to the beer that Kushina had just brought.

Kushina watched the exchange, her stomach sinking. Trackers were not uncommon in this area. Trained to unobtrusively find evidence or hunt someone down, they were mercenaries for hire. Some had combat skills, while others were purely trained for the hunt. This one, it seemed, was purely gathering information. Kushina kicked herself for not sensing it earlier. How had she not been suspicious?

"Wat's this?" the burly boss grunted, waving the paper. His eyes bulged and his voice wavered as his hand shook.

"Ask the girl," the tracker hummed, "I just find the stuff I'm paid to find. I think I'll excuse myself from this mess. I look forward to future business with you!"

With that, he winked at Kushina again, before turning and striding from the bar. He quickly exited the doors, leaving Kushina to wonder what the tracker had handed the gang leader. His men were gleefully drinking their beer, forgetting the situation-at-hand.

Kushina quickly recognized the item. A picture! _Shit, _she told herself, _this is not good! _It was a picture of Team Five before the Chunin Exams, when Arashi was still...himself. Kushina carried that picture with her everywhere, never wanting to forget the happier days of her life. Right now, the memento was tucked between the gang leader's fingers as his hand shook with rage.

"What the hell is this?" the boss asked, looking down at both Kushina and the bar owner. His dark eyes darted back to the picture.

"I've never seen it-" the owner began.

"Not you!" the boss shouted, throwing the hitai'ite aside. "_Her_!"

The gang members began to realize what was happening, some walking toward the trio, some hovering around and enjoying their beverages.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kushina cleared her throat.

"Oh, so this ain't _you_!" he threw the picture toward her. Kushina blinked recognizing the three smiling faces and shiny hitai'ites. Her eyes slightly watered with the memory.

"You are a fuckin' ninja! And he hired you!" the boss howled, pointing accusingly at the bar owner, "You're entire family will pay for this, even that pregnant wife of yours! We'll have a good time with her, won't we boys!"

The chair scraped against the floor as the fat man leaped to his feet. Kushina bristled at the threat to the Hanasaki family.

"I'm sorry, Hanasaki-san, I've lied to you," Kushina whispered her fingers reaching for the picture. She quickly placed it in her bra.

"I understand," the man replied, his mouth caked with blood.

"You do, huh?" Kushina smiled. She had underestimated him.

"I want them gone as much as you do. Who do you think informed your Hokage of their whereabouts?" the bar owner admitted, wiping his mouth, "I may be an old man, but I can still fight."

Kushina shook her head as the bootsteps came closer, "No, you have a family to protect. You are going to go to them. I'll take care of these bastards."

"There are too many!" the man warned her, his voice rising.

In a moment, another clone had appeared, lifting the bar owner under his shoulder. Kushina looked up from where she was kneeling on the floor, "Take him upstairs! Quickly!"

"Right," the red-haired clone nodded, disappearing with the man before he could say anything more or resist.

"Don't think that'll protect the traitor!" the fat boss hissed, coming closer, "After we deal with you, we'll kill that entire family!"

He brought his leg back, swinging it to kick Kushina while she was down. His foot was stopped mid-arc, as Kushina swiftly caught the heavy shoe in one hand.

"What?" the boss cocked his head, realizing his blow never met its mark.

Kushina slowly stood, bringing the foot with her. The gang leader waved his arms as he was pulled off-balance. Kushina released her grip, letting the man fall backward onto the floor. It would have been humorous had Kushina not been seething at his threat.

"How dare you threaten an innocent family!" she spat, her face contorted with rage as she stood with her hands on her hips.

The heavyset man blinked, his face a mixture of anger and confusion, "You're as good as dead. I'll break you. I'll teach you to mess with the wrong people, Mai-"

"Uzumaki," Kushina growled, interrupting him, "It's Uzumaki Kushina. And you'll be eating those words, shortly."

The room grew deathly quiet as the confusion cleared. Kushina knew that there was no other way than to fight. Her cover had been blown and she had to protect the innocent family that lived above the bar.

"Mai?" someone called out, as a stool toppled over. Kushina could hear the breaking glass as a bottle hit the bar.

"It's not Mai!" Kushina snapped, her hands thrust to her hips as she stood in a wide-legged stance in front of the gang leader.

The fat man's mouth opened and closed as his face began to grow red in anger, "How dare you!You fuckin' bitch!"

"Yous a fuckin' ninja, eh?" a lankly thug spat, lumbering toward her with a broken bottle.

She heard chairs scrape along the wooden floor as the other men stood to protect their boss. Kushina heard the shuffling behind her. The eleven men were crowding around as the situation became apparent to them. Though she was outnumbered, Kushina knew that she was not at a disadvantage. They would rely on brute force, while she relied on her extensive training as a ninja. It should be an easy battle.

"Finally pieced it together, have you?" Kushina sighed, holding her palms up in resignation. She was almost annoyed at how long it took them to understand the situation.

"Yous in the wrong place, bitch," snarled a man from behind her. She could hear knuckles cracking in anticipation.

She clenched her own fists, gathering her chakra. _Eleven. _There were eleven of them, not including the boss. _I can do eleven!_

"Boss?" one murmured, as they awaited instructions.

"We can do this the easy way," Kushina offered, glancing around, her foot sliding forward.

"Easy way?" the boss repeated, his eyes bulging as he slowly scrambled to his feet, using a table as leverage. His gut rolled around as he tried to pull himself upright.

"You can come in with me, willingly. You and your crew," she waved.

"Or what?" he growled.

"Or I can take you by force," Kushina watched his reaction.

The vein in his forehead bulged at her brazen suggestion. His face was turning crimson from rage as he studied the sudden change in the timid waitress. Kushina took his affirmation as evidence of her prowess. She had acted the part well.

"Well?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, "What's it gonna be? I have back up on the way."

"Boss, there's more!" one man pointed out.

"I can see that!" the fat man snapped, his fists clenching as he dropped them on the table, breathing heavily from exertion.

"Well?" Kushina repeated, "What's your decision, _sugar_?"

"Kill her," the leader whispered, his eyes on the red-haired kunoichi. Her stomach sank at his words, she would obviously have to explain why the mission turned out the way it did. And it rarely ended peacefully anymore.

Kushina sighed, "I figured you would say that."

"Get her! Kill the whore!" someone yelled from behind her. The henchmen acted quickly, drawing weapons and edging toward her. It was as if they really believed that a female shinobi was nothing to be concerned about.

"Have it your way," Kushina shrugged as someone swung a lead pipe at her head.

Like a pack of hyenas, the men closed in on her, weapons swinging. Kushina nimbly dodged their blows, landing some of her own. She used one as a shield against a katana-wielding attacker. She leaped back as the katana plunged through the shield's chest, impaling her victim. She threw him aside, the katana still imbedded in his chest as she snapped the clumsy swordsman's neck with her bare hands. She hated the feeling of the vertebrae compressing the spinal cord before her opponent's death.

"Two down," she muttered as the remaining thugs glanced at one another, unsure of what to do. The man on the floor writhed in pain as the katana stuck out of his chest.

Kushina plucked it from his body, using it to quickly put the man out of his misery. Warm bright red blood spread across the floor from her merciful move. She considered quickly ending the battle with a wind attack, but she didn't want to destroy the bar.

"Sure you wanna keep 'em coming?" Kushina asked the boss, closing her eyes in disdain.

"Get her!" the boss screamed, pointing toward the kunoichi.

"Idiot!" Kushina muttered, her eyes snapping open as the small band of thugs charged at her with snarls and screams of their own.

"Die!"

"Go to hell!"

"Stupid bitch!"

"We'll teach you!" Came the cries as the men closed in on the lone shinobi.

Kushina quickly incapacitated the rest of the group with the unfamiliar blade, sparing no one and leaving a trail of blood behind her. She didn't enjoy killing, but she would do it when necessary. She was ordered to leave no witnesses aside from the person of interest, and she followed that command.

She stood in front of the bodies, flicking the blood off of the blade, her eyes on the portly boss. "Now will you listen to me?"

The man was silent, his eyes bulging with rage as he watched her slaughter his best men.

"You...you fuckin' bitch!" he hissed, his hand disappearing behind him.

Kushina sighed, "Not a wise move."

With a scream of fury, the man charged at her, blade in hand as he raised his armored fist to strike. Kushina easily dodged the blow, leaning aside and gripping his arm between her hands. With a twist of her wrists, she felt the successful snap of his forearm. The leader screamed from the pain, his arm limply falling to his side as he turned on her. His eyes were wild as he ignored the blinding pain and slashed at her with his knife. Kushina easily blocked the attacks with the borrowed katana, side stepping each attack as the fat man howled with fury.

"This is boring," Kushina yawned, using one hand to block his blows, "Aren't you tired yet?"

"Die!" the man shrieked as he once again attempted to lunge at her.

"Game over," Kushina told him as she quickly slashed at his wrist, blood spraying the air as the small knife skipped along the floor.

"Slut, fuckin' stupid bitch, you'll pay for this!" he hissed, holding his wrist against his chest as he collapsed to his knees.

"No...you will," Kushina replied in kind, "You threatened an innocent family. That's where I draw the line, you piece of shit."

With quick and sure movements, she pressed her fingers against his forehead, pushing his paralyzed body backward. His eyes were wide as he limply fell to the floor. Kushina felt slightly guilty for not using that ninjutsu earlier, but the thrill of even the smallest battle was not lost on her. She was, after all, a ninja.

She sighed as the room grew deathly quiet. She stepped over the bodies, lithely leaping behind the bar. She set the small glass of ice out in front of her, smiling as she poured the liquor over it. The front door of the bar flew open, announcing her back up.

"What is going on here?" a light-haired jonin she barely knew asked as he looked at the bodies on the floor.

Kushina sipped on her drink, reaching under the bar and pulling out a handful of cold bottles. She placed them on the bar, her eyes on the shinobi that had come to her rescue. She could see Shikaku shaking his head in amusement as he shoved his hands in his vest pockets.

"Uzumaki?" the same jonin repeated, his eyes on her face. "An answer, please?"

"Beer anyone?" Kushina offered. She saw Choza immediately make for the bar at an offer of a beverage.

"Dammit, Uzumaki! Why did you act without us!" the blonde-haired jonin shook his head, his eyes on the beer. Kushina knew he had already forgiven her.

"Boys!" Kushina murmured over her glass as she finished it. She took a deep breath, "I was discovered, and the situation was unrecoverable. I defended myself. It's that simple."

"I can see that," the blonde answered, his arms crossing over his chest. He obviously hadn't worked with Kushina before. "I'll have to put this in my report. The orders were-"

"I know the orders," Kushina snapped, pointing to the floor, "Your person of interest is there. I paralyzed him. Inoichi should be able to get your information. The rest were accessories, they knew nothing other than to take orders without question. They tried to kill me. As I said, I defended myself."

"You said you were discovered?" Choza asked between gulps of beer as he reached for another bottle.

"This is going to be a pain," Shikaku mused as he sat next to his former teammate, his hands easily snapping the cap from the bottle.

"A tracker," she explained, pouring herself another drink as she watched the blonde jonin study the gang leader. She saw the mixture of satisfaction and awe register in his features. Despite her relief at their leader's reaction, Kushina knew the situation hadn't been rectified.

"What else?" Shikaku groaned, eyeing his beer longingly. He wouldn't be enjoying it for very long, he knew.

"He's escaped," Kushina nodded, "Better get our best dog-nin. A tracker's no match for her nose."

"Get Inuzuka Tsume over here, now!" the blond jonin spoke into his receiver as he approached the bar.

Kushina slid the beer to him as she turned to walk away. He nodded his thanks before shaking his head at the mess around them.

"Kushina, where are you going?" Choza burped as Kushina pressed through the doors.

She turned, smiling at them. She always hated this part of the mission, "I have a family that I have to say goodbye to."


	19. Good Company

**A/N: ARRRGH! I think I'm gonna have an aneurysm from this latest chapter. I debated heavily on what to do with this chapter: do I try to include the canon or do I continue on with my own story. My decision? **

**Continue on with my story. **

**I hope that you'll all continue to follow my PRE-CH498 Mina/Kushina story. I just feel that I'll ruin my story if I add the current canon story line to it. As I had told some of you in my review responses (sorry, this past month killed me, and i have a HUGE exam in two weeks, so I'll probably be MIA, but I'll make it up to you!), I had originally planned Kushina to be the container for the nine-tails. But, since I mirror every thing else in Naruto's life, I wanted to do something differently. So, the nine-tails is contained by someone else. Plus, I hate to waste my OCs, they have a part, too, and I want to use them. **

**Anyhow, I hope everyone respects my decision. And dammit, R&R so I at least don't feel as badly not following canon! **

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, I only take credit for the OCs_

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_**OoOoO**

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They were greeted at the gates of Konoha by a handful of ANBU and jonin forces. Kushina stretched her weary legs; they had ran for nearly two days straight, and she had not been keeping up with her exercise. She didn't think that many bar waitresses spent their free time frolicking in the woods. She stifled a large yawn, happy to be in her everyday clothes. She tugged the dark, tight shorts down her thighs, adjusting the fabric sash around her waist. The pale, pinky-orange dress she wore was more like a long shirt, coming just past her rear—an old gift from Lady Sarutobi that still fit her on top. So, she made the best of the gift, relishing the meaning it held for her. Besides, it looked good, so why not?

Under the loose, lightweight clingy fabric, she wore a high-necked white sleeveless shirt that covered most of her upper torso. Her fingerless black gloves were high on her sleeveless arms, the Leaf emblem on the elastic bands that secured her gloves in place. She still preferred the boots that covered her toes, wearing the mid-calf standard black shoes. Her kunai holder was taped to her thigh, and her wind blades were tucked neatly on her hips, as were her other, various instruments. On her back, she carried a katana, made from similar metal as her wind blades—a gift from a long-forgotten mission. She also kept on her person a small scroll hiding her book of seals, something she had only recently taken a liking to—surprising herself at how easily she had become proficient at the jutsu. Hiruzen had mentioned that her village was renown for their sealing abilities, and her instant taking to the jutsu was a testament to that.

Kushina pushed the long red strands from her face, the top of her hair pulled out of her eyes and secured at the crown of her head. She reached into her pockets, quickly remembering the turquoise clips she had tucked there. They were the ones Lady Sarutobi had given her years ago as a gift. She reached up and secured the stray strands away from her face, tucking the ends behind her ears.

The group had broken into friendly chatter with the jonin who greeted them. The ANBU stood back, and Kushina noted how the one in front was staring her way, his face concealed behind the porcelain mask. Her attention was pulled away as Konoha's Interrogation Squad soon met up with the group, obviously hoping to quickly whisk the gang leader away to gather intel for the greater good of Konoha.

"Are there no more?" the young blonde man asked, his eyes flickering over the group and his brow furrowing in confusion. He was only recently given a second-in-line position in the Intel Unit. It was quite an accomplishment for such a young age.

Kushina made note of the violet-eyed woman next to Inoichi. She was standing at his side, her hands behind her back as she glanced at the group before them. Her long, stawberry blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, curling naturally where it fell between her shoulder blades. It was the same kunoichi Kushina had been pitted against during the Chuunin Exams, years ago. The two women crossed paths occasionally, and the blonde woman had always been cordial to Kushina. The Uzumaki heiress often stopped by the flower shop on her way to Lady Sarutobi's grave—occassionally encountering the blonde kunoichi during the days she worked at her family's store. There was no hostility between the women, and Kushina found that she actually enjoyed their few, yet brief interactions. The kunoichi had kindly helped Kushina with her flower selections, informing her of the meaning behind each bloom. During Kushina's most recent visit, the woman had suggested Kushina plant a perennial at the grave, this way the plant would bloom each year at the same time. Kushina chose a small tea-rose plant, and the woman was kind enough to provide some fertilizer, even accompanying Kushina to Lady Sarutobi's tomb, helping her plant the small rose bush. That tiny bit of kindness brought tears to Kushina's eyes, and she even allowed the woman to hug her, despite her usual reserved nature.

The woman's eyes met with Kushina's deep blue ones, and the blonde smiled her recognition before her eyes darted back to Inoichi and her expression quickly became serious. Kushina couldn't help but smile at the action—it was like an child following the example of her idol.

"Eh, Uzumaki disposed of the rest of 'em," Choza jerked a finger over his shoulder. Kushina was quickly ripped from her thoughts as she realized her companion's comment. As all eyes fell on her, she could feel her cheeks turning red.

"She _what_?" Inoichi's jaw was practically hanging open in disbelief, "Is this true, Kushina?"

"Geez, starin' at me like I'm not capable of taking down a bunch of goons," Kushina retorted, feeling the stares from all around, even the muted ones behind the porcelain masks. Her cheeks began to turn crimson, "I, uh...hadnochoice."

"No choice, huh?" Inoichi echoed, raising an eyebrow in slight amusement. His eye flickered over the lone prisoner they _had _returned with.

"It's true," Shikaku sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes closed out of boredom, "she was attacked by the lot of them. About a dozen or so. They threatened the lives of a civilian family, a pregnant mother and her child included. So, Inoichi, she really had no choice."

"You took down a _dozen_? By yourself?" came the question from behind a bear-like mask.

Kushina was sure her face was as red as her hair, "Yes. By myself." _Sigh. How many times do I have to say this? _

"Are there _no_ other survivors?" Inoichi posed, shaking his head slightly, though trusting his former teammate's words. The woman at his side stared at Kushina in wide-eyed awe.

"Just the one that we brought back," Kushina's blonde leader answered, regaining what little control he had.

"Sir, what about the tracker?" another ANBU asked, a woman this time. They had obviously taken note of the jonin's earlier telecommunications with the village in regards to the outcome of the mission—though he had apparently omitted Kushina's role.

The blonde jonin nodded, shifting on his feet, "Inuzuka Tsume is tracking him. She should be returning with the suspect shortly."

"Knowing Tsume, don't expect the guy to be in tip top shape!" Kushina cracked a smile. Shikaku shook his head, hiding his own knowing grin.

"You can say that again," Choza added, pulling a candy bar from his kunai holder. It never amazed Kushina how many places the larger man could find to hide his snacks.

"Not again," Inoichi groaned, glancing at the woman beside him. The violet-eyed kunoichi placed a soothing hand on his arm. She quickly removed it from his arm, placing both of her hands behind her back, her cheeks flushing at her digression.

"Let the woman have her fun," Kushina grinned at both her literal meaning and insinuation. "Besides, that'll give you two bodies to play with."

Kushina knew that Tsume _would have been _back much sooner, but the astute-nosed kunoichi enjoyed toying with her prey. And, there was no doubt as to whether the shinobi and her canine companion would rough up the suspect before bringing him back. Tsume enjoyed the chase, and on the rare occasion she was introduced to one, she would draw it out—within reason, of course.

"Fair enough," her commander nodded, his face serious as his eyes wandered over the greeting crowd surrounding them. His gaze finally fixed on Inoichi,"Satisfied?"

Inoichi nodded, turning to look over the bound and unconscious gang leader, "It'll do, I suppose. He will most likely know the most, I'm sure the others were just paid help."

His eyes lingered on Kushina, and she felt as if he were trying to read her thoughts. She always felt slightly distrustful of the Inoichi, though she hand no real _reason _to. The Yamanaka Clan was known for their Mind Invasion Techniques, and Inoichi was by far one of the best clansmen of his time. Kushina often wondered if he had the ability to read thoughts. She quickly tried to think of something vulgar: if he blushed, would she confirm her theory?

He didn't, and Kushina relaxed a little.

"He was the ringleader," she admitted, her tone now serious.

"Good, I trust your judgment, Uzumaki-san," Inoichi answered calmly, waving for his squad to return to their headquarters.

Kushina was slightly taken aback by his response, but said nothing. She watched the jonin and Interrogation duo carry their shiny new prisoner away.

A lone ANBU stepped forward, handing a piece of paper to the blond jonin commander, "The Hokage requests a debriefing. You will meet him at seventeen hundred hours."

His voice was easily recognizable to Kushina. She watched him intently as stepped away from her team leader. The blonde jonin leader took the scroll between his fingers, bowing his head slightly.

"Understood."

The masked man turned toward Kushina, his familiar voice stern, "Uzumaki Kushina , you will obviously receive requisitions if it is necessary."

Kushina resisted rolling her eyes, feeling her anger rising at how formally he spoke her name. Despite the mask, she still knew it was _him_. The same _him _who was currently not on good terms with her.

"Yeah, yeah, I understand," she answered quickly.

He remained facing Kushina, despite speaking to the others, "You may take leave, but do not be late for your debriefing. You are dismissed."

Kushina's group turned to walk away, and the remaining ANBU hung back awaiting their comrade. Kushina knew it was now or never.

She lowered her voice, "Ken? Can I, uh, talk to you? Please?"

She watched the masked ANBU hesitate, an unusual response from the young man, "I don't think that's necessary. Have a good da—"

"Come _on_! You can't stay mad at me forever, you know! Just _talk_ to me, Kenny! I think you should allow me to explain," she replied, using her pet name for him. Her cheeks burned as she softly pleaded with him, begging her former teammate to hear her out.

"I'll...think about it," came the emotionless, robotic reply. It was all he said before the brief motion of his wrist initiated the mass movement of ANBU as they quickly disappeared. Kushina was left to stare at the spot where Ken had been, feeling both empty and slighted.

"Uzumaki-san, are you coming for a few drinks before our meeting?" Choza asked as the group slowly made their way to their usual post-mission watering hole, ignoring the exchange between Kushina and her lover.

She knew that they were being polite and giving her time to speak to Ken. Everyone knew that they were more than friends...they just didn't know _how much more_. And, at this point, neither did Kushina.

She collected herself, turning and putting a fake smile on her face in hopes of convincing herself she was happy.

"Uh...yeah, I'll have to catch up with you guys! Go ahead! I have something I need to do, first," she glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting her friend to reappear.

"You better not be late _this _time," Shikaku warned, his eyes narrowed distrustfully.

Kushina felt her stomach sink, she was guilty of being late for practically every debriefing, it was true. Often, it resulted in a harsh reprimand from the Hokage. The past three times, Shikaku had been lucky enough to have to sit through the tirade as well. The most recent, however, the entire team was forced to take a C-ranked mission because of Kushina's tardiness. It was a week of wild animal trapping in a rural community a few dozen kilometers outside of Konoha. Mikoto and Shikaku had not been happy with her. An Aburame, one of the insect-nin in the village, was also made to help, most likely because he was within a two-foot radius at the time of the berating. Kushina really felt sorry for the poor man—Shibi—or so she thought that was his name.

"Yeah, I wont!" she waved as she hurried off in the opposite direction, her pulse still racing from her interaction with Ken.

"Where's she going?" Choza asked softly, as Shikaku shook his head, knowingly.

"Don't know, but wherever she goes, she is bound to be held up," Shikaku answered, turning and shoving his hands deep into his pockets, "Such a pain in the ass."

Despite his obvious dislike for their chastising from the Hokage, Shikaku understood why Kushina was tardy. He would never blame her for it, as he was sure he would do the same thing if he were in her shoes.

"Eh?" Choza asked, chewing thoughtfully as they tagged behind their superior.

"Nothin'," Shikaku answered, looking skyward, "Just be prepared for another C-ranked assignment. Maybe even D this time."

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Kushina knocked on the door, waiting for the familiar, soft footsteps to approach. The door quietly opened, revealing a young woman about Kushina's height and age staring back at her with vividly pale blue eyes.

"Uzumaki-san!" the woman smiled, her milky gaze lighting up in happiness.

"Please, Yuuki, call me 'Kushina'! How many times do I have to tell you this?" Kushina cringed.

"I'm sorry!" the woman stammered, her shy smile quickly returning, "I'm so glad you've come to visit Arashi!"

_Arashi? _Kushina silently mused. _He doesn't get a title? _

She smiled as she followed the lavender-robed woman as she weaved through the small manor. Her raven hair was pinned to the back of her head, a sparkling clip playing in the dim light. Her soft footsteps were almost soothing in their rhythm as she lightly tiptoed through the house. Kushina always wondered how Yuuki managed to look so elegant every day.

"Arashi?" Yuuki called, "You have company. Uzumaki—er, Kushina is here! She's returned from her mission!"

Kushina couldn't help but find Yuuki's excitement endearing. She truly did care for Arashi's best interests.

"Kushina?" came the deep, silky voice. "Please send her into the study, Yuuki."

"Right this way," Yuuki indicated the direction.

Her feet carried her down the hall she had walked many times. She always visited Arashi after each mission, filling him in on what had occurred. The Hyuuga enjoyed hearing Kushina's stories, as he was no longer an active shinobi in the village. With the brain injury he had sustained during the Chuunin Exams, he was a liability. That didn't stop Arashi from enjoying life, however. The former Team Five member happily taught at the Academy, and Kushina thought that his job suited him. He was a genius, after all, and who better to teach the up and coming shinobi than a prodigal kekkai genkai user?

"Kushina!" Arashi smiled brightly, setting his book aside. He rose as she entered the room.

"How are you?" she asked, returning his excited smile.

"Same as usual, I suppose. You don't mind-" he began.

"Not at all," Kushina interrupted, knowingly.

"Good," he nodded, his hands swiftly going through the signs. A clone appeared next to him, briefly bowing in their direction before seating itself in the chair across the room from them.

"Still a bit weird," Kushina nodded toward the clone, "Like I'm being watched or something!"

"I know," Arashi sighed, "but there is no way around it, I suppose."

"True," Kushina agreed, "but it's something, right? A progress of sorts."

"Agreed," Arashi murmured, his eyes following Yuuki's movements as she silently entered the room, carrying a tray of tea and sweets.

"Thank you, Yuuki," he replied softly, a hint of warmth in his voice as his eyes lingered on her longer than necessary. Kushina thought she saw a blush creep across Yuuki's cheeks as the young woman pushed a strand of silky hair behind her ear.

"You are welcome," she nodded to Arashi and his visitor. "Please don't hesitate to ask for anything you may need."

"I would like something for my headache, please," Arashi bowed his head slightly.

"Oh yes! Of course!" Yuuki replied, her eyes wide as if she should have known he was having a headache.

Kushina took the proffered tea cup in her hands, blowing the steam off of the top, "Can't complain about the hired help around here, eh?" Her eyes twinkled their mischief, though it was lost on Arashi.

"She is a great help," he admitted, "I don't know...what I would do without her."

"You'd wither up and die because you'd forget to feed yourself!" Kushina joked, burning the tip of her tongue on her tea.

"Probably true," Arashi smiled his good-nature.

Kushina studied the clone. It was the same every time: Arashi would summon clone for the visit, and when he was nearing the end of his short-term memory's capacity, he would release the clone, consolidating the copy's memories. She wasn't sure how Hizashi had figured it out, but somehow the Hyuuga twin had been able to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Apparently, the part of Arashi's brain that registers new memories—before they are stored—was injured by Hiashi. But, having a clone and using the clone's memories to store utilizes a different pathway in the brain. This allowed Arashi to function like a normal human being, creating and enjoying his own memories and life. Kushina was extremely grateful to the younger Hyuuga brother—as he had all but given Arashi his life back. Arashi had been utterly depressed during his recovery, and at times even suicidal. Hizashi's theory, combined with Yuuki's hiring and care-taking, had bettered Arashi's spirits. He now functioned like any other person, though he always had an observer. For those that knew him, it wasn't a big deal.

"How's teaching at the Academy?" Kushina tried to make polite conversation.

"It is good. How was your mission?" he bantered back.

"Eh, I had to wipe out most of our targets, though I managed to keep the key suspect. Pissed Inoichi off!"

"_Had _to?" Arashi raised an eyebrow.

"Really. Had no choice. They were going to murder the bar owner's family," Kushina's expression grew dark, "I couldn't let that happen. A pregnant woman and a five-year old girl"

"No, no you could not," Arashi took a drink of his tea, "Sounds reasonable, though you aren't convinced?"

Kushina sighed, "I'm gonna get reamed out at the debriefing, I'm sure of it!"

"Not so unusual for you, though..." Arashi smiled.

"Thanks for cheering me up," Kushina rolled her eyes.

"You're letting your hair grow...it looks nice," Arashi quickly changed the subject.

Kushina's hands went up to her hair, "Oh...yeah, thanks!"

"Any reason?" he posed calmly.

Kushina leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs and eyeing the Hyuuga over her cup, "Ken was here, I take it?"

Arashi was quiet for some time. "He may have been, yes."

Kushina sighed, slamming her fist on the arm of her chair, "Dammit, he still won't talk to me!"

Her hair had been the subject of their last argument. Well, the _last part_ of the last argument. It was a poorly placed jab on Ken's part, but Kushina quickly picked up the insinuation by Arashi. Ken was still upset, it appeared, and he wasn't about to talk to Kushina about it, either.

"Want to talk about it?" Arashi asked, setting his cup onto its saucer.

"What's there to talk about? He's pissed that I forgot our date, we had an argument, and we haven't spoken since. It's been weeks—no, months!" Kushina whined, feeling dejected.

"Well, he was hurt, do you blame him?"

"No...it was my fault," Kushina agreed, slouching deeper into the chair, "I was exhausted...had a mission the night before, and I had completely forgotten that I promised him we'd go out for dinner. You know, spend quality time together, or whatever couples do."

"But you managed to get ramen?" Arashi pointed out. Point to Arashi, and Ken, by default.

"Is that so unlike me?" Kushina's voice was growing more high-pitched as she relived her argument with Ken.

"No, not really, except that a certain person who evokes Ken's jealousy was there," lavender eyes watched her reaction. Two sets, actually, counting the clone.

"For cryin' out loud! That was just coincidence! He came in with Hitoshi, and we all just started talkin'!" Kushina groaned. "It had nothing to do with me forgetting about Ken!"

"But you know it irks him," Arashi sighed, "I've talked to him many times about this, but he still holds onto that insecurity!"

"What insecurity?" Kushina's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Namikaze. Minato." Arashi answered softly, a smile tugging at his lips, "He feels he's competing with him."

"Ken thinks I like _that _idiot?" Kushina bawled, sitting forward before deciding to fling herself back into her chair in frustration.

"Kushina, may I offer some advice?" Arashi asked, as Yuuki entered the room and quietly sett the two tiny pills onto the table beside him.

"Sure, whatever helps," Kushina grumbled, her cheeks red with anger.

"Some things...they are not meant to work."

"Eh?" Kushina shot him an odd look, "Meaning?"

"Meaning that perhaps you and Ken are not meant to be together. I know you care about him...love him, yes. But are you _in _love with him?"

Kushina said nothing, staring at her feet. She could tell that Yuuki was purposely arranging things on the table so that she could hear Kushina's response. Had Arashi been speaking to her about this?

"I-I don't know," Kushina sighed, part of her feeling guilty, the other part of her saddened by the revelation.

She _wanted_ to be in love with Ken; she wanted so badly to be able to return his feelings. He deserved it, especially after all he did for her after Lady Sarutobi's death. He was her shoulder to cry on, though others had also been there for her, to share her pain: Hiruzen, Tsume, Hitoshi, Yoshino, Asuma, Minato...

"Maybe this is your way of showing yourself that," Arashi murmured. "You are not purposely hurting him, but perhaps you are, in a way, doing these things because you know that it will never work."

"Maybe," Kushina replied softly, tears burning her eyes. Maybe Arashi did have a point...

"I honestly believe," the Hyuuga continued, his eyes briefly flickering to Yuuki's face, his gaze holding there for a few moments, "That when you find that person you are to be with...you will know it with all your heart."

"Wow, you really put some thought into this," Kushina waspishly replied, Yuuki's blush catching her attention.

"I'm only trying to help," Arashi answered honestly, "You are both important to me. I hate to see the two of you—"

With that, he sat upright, his eyes slightly fading. Yuuki was immediately at his side, kneeling in front of him, her eyes wandering over his face. Arashi blinked, looking around. His eyes fell on the woman in front of him, his gaze softening.

"Yuuki?" he asked, his voice weak with confusion.

"Arashi-san, please release your clone," she replied quickly pointing toward the clone in the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry?" he replied, his gaze flickering over to Kushina, "Kushina-san, what are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming."

"Oh dammit!" Kushina sighed, jumping to her feet and throwing a kunai at the clone in the corner of the room. The replica disappeared in a flash as Yuuki squealed her disdain.

"Sorry," Kushina muttered as she watched Arashi's gaze regain its normal light.

He cleared his throat, looking around, "Um, I suppose I let that clone sit for too long, yes?"

"You could say that," Kushina shook her head, a smile playing on her lips.

"I'm sorry about that," Arashi blushed slightly, nodding as Yuuki stared at him in worry. He reached out and patted her hand reassuringly, "I'm fine. Won't happen again."

Another clone replaced the first one, and Arashi sat back in his chair, visibly put off by what had just happened. Kushina knew that he was frustrated by his handicap, "Now, where were were?"

"Distracted much?" Kushina asked, watching Yuuki leave the room, casting one last concerned look over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry?" Arashi cleared his throat again, suddenly finding his fingernails more interesting.

"You were too busy staring at Yuuki to realize that you should have been makin' another clone," Kushina pointed out, her arms folding over her chest.

"I think you are mistaken," Arashi replied calmly, avoiding eye contact.

"Funny," Kushina tapped her chin, her smile waxing and waning, "You could remember her name, and didn't look surprised at her presence. It took you a moment to register who I was..."

"She takes care of me daily, so it's no surprise," Arashi's eyes passed over her, focusing on the bookshelves behind Kushina.

"Bullshit, Hyuuga! You're in love, l-o-v-e," Kushina sat forward, smacking her knee. "All that crap you were spouting to me...it was because you and Yuuki-"

"I will not allow you to speak about Yuuki in such a way," Arashi's cheeks were turning red as he attempted to remain authoritative.

"Ha!" Kushina chirped, "I got you! You can't fool me, Hyuuga Arashi! You've finally found someone, and you know it with your _entire heart_!"

His face burned as she used his earlier words against him. He sat back in his seat, pushing his palms together and bringing his steepled fingertips to his lips as he closed his eyes. They sat like that for some time, Kushina silently awaiting his response.

"So...so what if I am?" Arashi whispered, his eyes closed. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Kushina jumped to her feet, barely able to contain her excitement. She rushed over to Arashi, throwing her arms around him, "I'm so happy for you!"

Tears welled in her eyes as he allowed her to hug him. She could feel his body shaking, and she pulled back to look at him, "What's so goddamned funny?"

"You!" Arashi chuckled, "I'd have never thought you to be so...how do I put it..._soft_."

"Well, believe it, Hyuuga," Kushina grinned, "I had to grow up sometime."

"I suppose we all did," he replied, his voice low as Kushina returned to her chair, her face beaming.

"So, what are you going to do? I mean, did you tell her? How does she feel?" Kushina shot the questions in rapid sequence.

"We have, er, talked about it—admitted how we feel to one another," the lavender-eyed man answered.

"Oooh, is that it? I knew she always had a thing for you, I could see it in her eyes," Kushina replied dreamily.

"I have been very blessed, indeed," Arashi admitted, his blush hidden as he lifted his cup to his lips.

"I'll say, she's by far the hottest Hyuuga, man did you hit the lottery on that one!" she joked.

"You never cease to amaze me," Arashi shook his head, chuckling. "And neither does Yuuki. She has been the most patient, kind woman in all the world, and I could ask for nothing more."

"Besides good looks," Kushina pointed out, wriggling her eyebrows and laughing.

"That is a bonus," Arashi replied, playfully. Kushina guffawed at his rare display of humor. He joined her in her laughter until tears rolled down Kushina's cheeks.

"What are _you _going to do?" Arashi raised an eyebrow, turning the conversation back to a more serious topic. Kushina knew that he was concerned about Ken as well.

"Wha?" Kushina was taken aback by his question, though she understood what he was implying. She looked crestfallen when she answered, "I-I don't know, Arashi. I really don't know."

"Be honest with him, Kushina," Arashi replied soothingly. "It's the least you can do. He'll find someone to mend his heart, trust me."

"And what if he doesn't? What if I ruined him for life?" Kushina answered in defeat. What could she do? She couldn't make herself love Ken, as much as she wanted to. Sure, there was attraction, but there was nothing there that held Kushina to him. She loved being his friend, she loved having him around. But, it wasn't the same as wanting to be with him, romantically. She just wanted her best friend, and was afraid of losing him.

"He'll heal. This is the best way," Arashi answered stoically. "Trust me. He'll forgive you in time."

"Yeah, but how long is that?" Kushina groaned, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Knowing Ken," Arashi postulated, "Probably until you are well into your eighties."

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**OoOoO**

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Kushina stayed for an hour more, sitting through two more changes in clones. She was impressed with how much time had passed between each episode of amnesia. Perhaps it was the years that had passed, or perhaps his brain had adjusted by using other circuits. Either way, Arashi had improved, despite Hizashi's help. The smile remained on Kushina's face as Yuuki escorted her out. Before she exited the door, she turned toward the dark-haired woman.

"Thank you," Kushina's appreciation was heart felt.

"Excuse me, Kushina-san?" Yuuki replied in confusion.

Instead of words, Kushina pulled Yuuki into a tight hug, squeezing the slender woman against her.

"For everything you have done for Arashi. He is the happiest I've ever seen him. And I know that is all because of you. You are loved, Yuuki," Kushina whispered through the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks.

Yuuki said nothing, and when Kushina pulled back, she was surprised by Yuuki's reaction. "W-What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

Yuuki wiped the tears from her cheeks, hiccuping with each sob, "N-No, nothing l-like that!"

"Then, what is it? I was out of line, I'm sorry!" Kushina suddenly felt guilty. She should have known better than to press the woman's boundaries. They had never been _close_, per se, but had always interacted well when Kushina visited.

"Please don't apologize, Kushina," Yuuki sniffled, "It's just that...Arashi means so much to me...so much that I cannot speak the words. But, part of me can't help but feel guilty that I am thankful...thankful for his condition."

Kushina angled her head, not quite sure that she was understanding the beautiful young woman who was being so emotional. "I-I'm not sure I am following ya, Yuuki."

"If it weren't for what Hiashi had done," Yuuki wiped her cheeks, "I would have never had the chance to fall in love with him."

Her pale, slender hands fell to her abdomen, where the rested for some time. Kushina watched the movement with mild curiosity. She had seen that same unintentional gesture before...years ago...

"No way in hell!" she exhaled, whistling.

"I'm sorry, Kushina?" Yuuki raised her moist eyes to meet Kushina's grin.

"For starters, you called me Kushina..._just _Kushina," the red-head's smile grew wider, "And, secondly, I had no idea that Arashi was going to be a father!"

"Oh!" Yuuki jumped, startled at Kushina's words. "_Oh_!"

Her face suddenly grew pink and her eyes grew round in a mixture of fear, embarrassment, and relief. Kushina couldn't help but giggle at the childish reaction.

"Is it that obvious?" Yuuki's eyes fell to the floor as she tugged at her obi, whispering the words.

"To me, yes," Kushina nodded, "I've seen it before...does...does Arashi know?"

She was answered with a shake of dark hair, a few locks falling into Yuuki's face.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Kushina promised, placing her hands reassuringly on the woman's shoulders, "Though, with this stuffy family, I'd recommend you two getting married before you pop!"

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**OoOoO**

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Kushina's smile didn't leave her face as she trudged toward the Hokage's office, where she would inevitably hear something about how she had acted in impetuously. _Impetuous_. It was always the same word Hiruzen used to describe her. She wasn't sure if it was so much of an insult as a description of her character.

Kushina ignored the goings on around her as she thought about the good news regarding Arashi's life. Of everyone she knew, he was the one person that deserved happiness the most, and Kushina was elated to be a part of that happiness. He had come a long way, and she was proud that he had not given up. Her former teammate had a wonderful future to look forward to, she had no doubt about that. She was lost in her thoughts, completely ignoring her surroundings as someone called her name.

"Kushina?"

"Oh, huh?" Kushina blinked her dark blue eyes flickering up toward whoever was standing in front of her. She blinked a few more times as she registered the woman clinging to his arm.

"Namikaze," she nodded, her cheeks feeling hot.

"Who's this, Minny?" came the purring voice of the woman whose arm was interlaced with Minato's.

"Aiko, this is Kushina, Kushina this is, er, Aiko," Minato quickly introduced the two women, looking slightly embarrassed.

She thought she could see him slightly slacken his arm from his date's death grip. Kushina looked behind them, quickly realizing that the pair had just exited a restaurant. One of the finer ones in Konoha, no less. Her eyes flickered over the duo. _Definitely a date. _

"I-I"m sorry," Kushina stuttered, smiling with as much politeness as she could muster, "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"That's alright," the young woman laughed, "I barely ever do _that!_"

Kushina watched Minato's face turn more pink as the girl laughed at her own joke. Kushina attempted a few chuckles in good-humor, but fell flat.

"Well, nice meeting you," the kunoichi nodded toward Minato's arm cling-on, "I hope you two enjoy your date!"

"Oh we _will_, won't we, Minny!" the young woman sang, pulling Minato tighter. His face was crimson at this point.

"Thank you," Minato nodded, as he quickly tried to walk past the red-head.

"See ya, _Minny_," Kushina whispered, catching Minato's brief reaction and furthering his embarrassment.

Kushina couldn't deny the satisfaction she felt at eliciting a reaction from Minato. She turned and watched the two walk away, giving a thumbs down when Minato turned to glance at her over his shoulder as his date practically dragged him away. The woman—Aiko—was barely able to walk on her heels, most likely due to too much to drink and excessive shoe height.

"I think that's the sixth girl I've seen him with in a few months," Kushina muttered under her breath as Minato glanced at her once more.

_Why are you counting_? her inner voice asked mockingly.

"I'm not counting!" she answered out loud. "I'm just stating a fact."

_Yeah, yeah, whatever you say...are you forgetting why you grew your hair out?_

Kushina's hands reached up to her hair, twirling the golden-red locks around her finger as she continued to stare. She soonrealized what she was doing, and she flushed at the action. Despite her hatred for Minato as a child, the two had come to have a playful sort of relationship. Basically, she made fun of him, and he remained the serious shinobi he always was. She no longer disliked the blonde jonin, though she wasn't so sure she would say she _liked _him. Occasionally, he would show up at her favorite ramen bar, taking a seat next to her and having polite conversation. Kushina would scarf down nearly ten bowls of ramen at a time, quickly leaving so that Minato would be stuck with the bill. She was surprised that he never once approached her and asked for his money back. Kushina had to admit, it must be getting costly for him, lately, as she had seen him in the ramen bar more often. She wondered if he was such a poor cook that he had to eat at the bar every night.

Kushina was quite the opposite, she was an exceptional cook, thanks to Lady Sarutobi's tutelage. But, she preferred ramen every night. She hated missions that took her to places where ramen did not exist. She found that her mission success depended greatly on the availability of ramen in that particular village. She wasn't so sure that her assigned partners or superiors bought that excuse, but Kushina was certain of it.

Her stomach growled as she stared in the direction Minato had traveled with his petite brunette date in her very short dress and all-too-high heels. Why did she have this sickening feeling in her stomach? Was it hunger? Maybe she did have time to stop for ramen before she met up with the others...


	20. Offerings and Regrets

**Taaadaaa! I'm back (and subsequently still alive)! Ok, sorry for such a long wait, but my exam is officially done (for now, I better have passed, because I am NOT taking that crap over again! I don't have the attention span for 9 hours of testing. I'm gettin' old!) Anyhow, here's the next chapter, because **_Madame Raine_** said so! ;)**

**Freakin' love you guys, FYI! Much love to my new faves/alerts/readers. My reviewers are awesome (you, too, anonymous people!). **

**You know the drill by now, so read and review, dammit! **

**_Happy Reading!_****  
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_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just the OCs_**  
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All eyes were on Kushina as she explained, for the umpteenth time, what had occurred on her most previous mission. Shikaku and Choza silently sat on either side of her, pretending as if they, too, were hearing this for the first time. Kushina had to hand it to them, they could look quite innocent when it was convenient for them. Her jonin commander stood a few feet behind her, his hands clasped behind his stiffly arched back as he allowed his team's only female to re-tell her story. Two ANBU bordered Hiruzen, both silent and observing. One wore a feline-like mask, the other donned a more wolfish guise—both watching through slitted eyes carved into their porcelain masks.

"...And, that's it, really. I had no choice, Hokage-sama," Kushina bowed her head, wringing her hands on her lap as she awaited some sort of reaction.

Her teeth were grinding together as she said a silent prayer that her actions were deemed justifiable. Seconds passed before she heard Hiruzen's deep voice answering her fears. It held undertones of something she couldn't quite grasp, but his question was directed toward her commander.

"Jin, was it really _eleven_?"

"What the—" Kushina's head snapped up in shock as she looked from the blonde jonin to the graying Hokage. Was that _really _important at a time like this? _Seriously_?

The blonde man lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut as he softly murmured, "It was. Really, my Lord."

Kushina thrust her lower jaw out in frustration, this was becoming quite a theme each time she reiterated what had happened. "Why does everyone think that I'm _lying_?"

She glared at the blonde commander as his lips curved up in an amused smile. The soft sound of laughter behind her caused her head to swing around with so much force that Kushina could feel her vertebrae popping from the movement. The two ANBU remained silent as they watched the interaction.

"I'm not sure what he finds amusing, exactly," Shikaku muttered under his breath, "but I think we should take this as a good sign."

_No D-ranked mission for us! _Choza chewed thoughtfully on whatever he had just pulled from his kunai holder. It _definitely _wasn't a kunai.

"A-Are you..._laughing?_" Kushina narrowed her eyes in frustration as she glared at the village leader.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry!" Hiruzen replied between gasps, his shoulders heaving with each deep intake of breath. He slapped his own thigh as he leaned forward, "It's n-not that I d-don't b-b-believe you! It's just that...that—"

"That _what_?" she demanded, her lower lip quivering in anger. Was it really _that odd_ that she may be able to annihilate nearly a dozen _civilians_ on her own? She, for one, was not amused by the thought of it! Her voice was a rage-filled hiss, "Spit it out, old man."

Choza's eyes grew wide and Shikaku groaned and slumped back into his chair. There went their freedom! Hiruzen's face immediately turned blank as he matched Kushina's challenging stare. The two were locked in a battle of wills, each glaring intently at the other. Though Kushina may have the most feared death stare in the village, there was only one person who had the ultimate say. And, right now, Shikaku was already thinking of the horrid missions they were going to have to choose from when the Hokage was finished with his team.

"I'm being exceedingly lenient," Hiruzen replied softly as he carefully chose his next words, "You have acted on your own accord and made it appear as if the bar owner was abetting a shinobi of the Leaf."

"But I was protecting him and his family! He had a pregnant wife and daughter—" Kushina argued fervently. _Why does no one see this? _

The kage raised his hand to interrupt her, "That may be so, but what _could _have happened if you had failed to restrain those men? Hmm...? Your team would have not yet arrived..."

He was inferring a scenario that Kushina had refused to think of! Why should she bother to consider what _hadn't _happened? Despite her disagreement with his train of thought, Kushina cowered at his rational justification. It _was_ true: she could have very well put the family's life in even more danger with her impetuosity. She gritted her teeth and clenched her jaw, the words of defeat dancing on her tongue.

"Yes..." she dropped her head in shame. "you are correct, of course, _my Lord_."

"I don't want you to say that because you think it's what I want to hear, Kushina," Hiruzen's presence was felt by everyone as his voice resonated around the large room with its high walls. "I want you to see what your hasty reaction _could have _done. You were lucky this time, yes, but what about next time? You have to control yourself; you are a kunoichi of the Leaf, after all."

"I know that!" Kushina raised her face.

Blue eyes betrayed her exterior calmness. Hidden in their depths was insecurity, vulnerability, and the need to prove herself—not just to Hiruzen, but also to the village. She had been hailed as one of the most gifted kunoichi in all of Konoha, but she didn't want to hold the title of _Most Reckless Kunoichi of All Time, _as well_. _She knew the kage was correct in his assertions, but she was easily irritable and she wasn't sure why that was. She had attempted to enjoy a bowl of ramen at her favorite noodle bar before arriving, but her appetite had just not been cooperative.

"As it is," Hiruzen sank back into his chair, his red robe reminding his guests of his authority,"you have returned unharmed, bringing our main target with you. For that, and that only, I deem this mission a success. Furthermore, there will be no ramifications, mark my words. You four have done well. Jin, I see great things for you, you are an exceptional leader. Shikaku and Choza, you have both been an ample help, and your teamwork is to be envied. I think you two may be able to lead your own expeditions in the near future. Kushina—"

Kushina cringed, awaiting the harsh reverberations from her earlier words and sharp-tongued arguments. She knew that, of the group, she had been the most careless. She could feel Hiruzen's eyes studying her as she bowed her head and awaited the chastising, as per usual.

"You were the foundation of this mission. Your ability to play the part was well constructed. You are an example to be followed. Even if you stumble along the way and feel the need to single-handedly take out a dozen men..." His eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Huh?" Kushina raised her head, her eyes flickering over the smile that was tugging at the corners of Hiruzen's mouth.

He raised his hand, "You were hasty in your actions, yes. But, your intentions were sound. It is only becoming of a Leaf shinobi to think about the greater good, despite the belief that you should always follow the Ninja Code. You were faced with unexpectedly weighing your choices: let this man die to keep up the ruse, or protect him and his family. You chose with your heart, and I can't disagree with your decision," his gaze grew unfocused as he tugged at his beard, "In the end, the family is safe, sound, and happy."

Kushina blinked. Was he truly saying this? About _her_? She could see the looks of shock on both Choza and Shikaku's faces. She glanced behind her, Jin nodded at her, his gray eyes twinkling his sentiment. Kushina knew that she was never to sacrifice a mission in order to follow other endeavors. It was not how she, nor anyone for that matter, was trained. They are to follow directives and never ask questions or falter. In the end, she had technically failed to do as she was told, though it was apparent that both Jin and Hiruzen did not fault her for that. She could tell from their expressions that they, too, were both guilty of acting on their heart's desires at one time or another. She was in a safe haven, and for that, she would not be reprimanded. Had she been anywhere else, this would not be the case. Had anyone else debriefed them, they would have been harshly criticized and punished. In the end, the team _had _failed, despite the fact that Kushina had managed to capture the one person the village had been investigating this entire time.

"M-Me?" Kushina squeaked in an unladylike manner.

"I won't be so lenient next time, my child, so enjoy this one exception," the Hokage watched her intently.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the team answered in unison, though Kushina only mouthed the words.

"I hear," Hiruzen allowed the encroaching smile to make itself seen, "that the young wife is planning to name the child, if it is a girl...Kushina."

His eyes flickered to Jin, who stepped forward, bending his neck in agreement, "It is true, my Lord."

Kushina looked around the room, her mouth agape. She had not heard this! "How do you know this?"

Hiruzen waved a scroll in his hand, his smile growing wider,"A kind letter from a grateful family. The same family who requested my help to begin with."

"What?" Kushina nearly fell off of her chair. _They knew? _The _whole_ time?

"Surprised?" Shikaku raised an eyebrow at her, his voice matter-of-fact, "Why do you think you're not getting in trouble? We were hired to protect the family as well."

Kushina glared at him, "Shut up, Nara! You had no idea either, so don't act so smug!"

"You sure? Perhaps you should have paid more attention," he replied, glancing at her from the corner of his eye and trying to look as well-informed as he was trying to sound.

"You were too busy ogling the women to even notice—" Kushina began, as Choza nearly choked on his snack, a testament that Kushina was not so far off base after all.

Hiruzen shook his head, glancing at Jin. When he spoke, his voice much more authoritative. He was no longer the playful Hokage he had been moments before. Instead, he was the demanding leader of a feared Hidden Village.

"You are all dismissed! You will hear from me when another mission arrives. The average time between missions at this point in time is about one week. There are many requests coming in, and they are being sorted into their appropriate rankings as we speak."

Shikaku and Kushina continued to shoot angry looks at one another as the trio of young jonin stood in unison. They turned to follow Jin out of the Hokage's office, most likely heading to celebrate the success of their mission at their favorite tavern. Kushina found that she looked forward to being able to relax and drink to her heart's content. She toyed with the idea of beating Shikaku to a bloody pulp once outside of the Hokage's work place...it shouldn't be too difficult...

"Kushina, I would like you to stay behind," came the gruff voice of the kage. Kushina angled her head, turning slightly to send a confused glance toward her former foster father.

"Just a few minutes. Surely you can spare that, no?" he raised a bushy eyebrow in query.

"Guess so," Kushina mumbled, shooting one last look of fury at Shikaku, "Meet you guys at the usual?"

"You know it!" Choza waved as he popped the last bit of his small meal into his mouth, crudely sucking on this thumb and forefinger to remove every last morsel. Shikaku shook his head at his friend, forgetting his earlier hostility toward Kushina. Jin grabbed the two men by the cuffs of their vests, bodily dragging them behind him.

"Come on, you two! Give them some privacy!" Jin growled as he stalked through the double doors, two of his subordinates in tow.

"Oww!" Choza whined as his girth was easily pulled from the room.

"You are both a pain in my ass," Shikaku muttered as he was dragged away.

Kushina watched them go, chewing on the inside of her lip as she did so. Hiruzen waved his hand, and the two ANBU swiftly disappeared, their movements filled with intentional silence. The Hokage pointed toward the seat across from his desk.

"Please," he offered, "have a seat. Amuse me."

"Yeah, yeah," Kushina scoffed, her infectious grin spreading across her face, "Whattya want, Gramps?"

A familiar yet rare smile flickered across Hiruzen's face. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers, "Did you put any more thought into my earlier offer?"

"Oh," Kushina replied flatly. _That_. She sucked in a deep breath, shrugging haphazardly, "I'm not interested, but thanks for considering me."

"Not interested? And why the hell not?" Hiruzen sat back in his massive chair, his eyes wide with confusion and disbelief. It was apparent that he had not considered the possibility that status was no longer of importance to the kunoichi.

"For one, I'd have to wear that _stuffy_ mask," Kushina waved her hand dismissively using her fingers to count off her reasons, "Secondly, I don't really think I want that damned tattoo on my arm. Third—"

"_That's_ your rationale for refusing to join ANBU?" Hiruzen huffed, obviously disappointed in her answer.

"Look," Kushina leaned forward, "I appreciate your intentions, I really do, but I'm no longer looking to prove myself. I wanna be me—you know, able to walk around the village without hiding my face or having a secret identity. Besides, how many people have this color of hair?"

Hiruzen said nothing for some time, his eyes softening as he watched her. He dropped his head, his shoulders suddenly heaving.

"A-Are you laughing at me?" Kushina asked, incredulous. _Again? _

Hiruzen chuckled, amused at her reaction, "Well spoken, I suppose! But do think it over more. The offer will remain until you are ready."

Though he didn't say it, he was proud that Kushina had turned down his offer to promote her to ANBU. In her younger years, she considered her rank to be the end-all of being a ninja. She had since matured, realizing that being a shinobi is only what each individual person makes of it. In his lifetime, Hiruzen had seen quite a few chunin who were stronger than jonin he had known—most just too lazy to continue through to promotion. On occasion, he would find gifted genin who refused to take the Chunin Exams, whether it be due to anxiety or the dislike of such testing. Either way, the strength of any shinobi depended on his or her merit and diligence. He, for one, was proud of the woman Kushina had become. She was stronger than any of the other kunoichi in the village, or _any _female shinobi Hiruzen had encountered, his wife included...

"Well," Kushina grinned, relaxing slightly, "unless you make a Jonin Commander of Everything, I'll bide my time. Maybe I'll just become Hokage and appoint myself just that!"

Hiruzen shut his eyes, shaking his head at her usual humor. She had been mentioning that more and more lately: _becoming Hokage_. He knew Minato was interested in the position, as well. He also knew Minato was interested in other things, like a certain young woman with hair as red as blood...

"Hokage-sama!" came the newcomer's voice, cutting into the conversation between the pair.

Kushina turned around in her chair to find Minato bowing his head as he knelt in front of the Hokage. His shirt was loose—no longer tucked into his pants. The buttons were haphazardly done and his skin peeked through the shirt's edges. She quickly averted her eyes, realizing he had skipped a button or two. His pants' clasp was undone, and his belt was barely holding his pants on his hips. Also, was that _lipstick_ on his shirt collar? The sickening feeling from earlier returned to Kushina's stomach as she noticed his tousled hair. She had never thought of Minato as a womanizer; he seemed too polite and gentlemanly to be such, but perhaps she was wrong about him.

"Minato, what is it?" Hiruzen stood, immediately understanding the brevity of whatever situation the blonde man would relate to him.

Minato's blue eyes flickered over Kushina's face. His cheeks turned pink as he noticed her gaze scrutinizing him. She quickly averted her eyes from his state of partial undress. She sat back down in her chair, her posture rigid as she faced away from him. The soft _plop_ and the sound of feet hitting the floor behind her forced Kushina to turn around for a second time.

"Ken!" she whispered, immediately recognizing his hair and mask.

He quickly fell into a respectable crouch, bowing his head in the Hokage's presence and taking no notice of Kushina. The red head could sense Minato watching her as she studied her friend. On his back were two katanas, with a shorter, broader blade at his waist. His mask was pushed onto his forehead as his hair wildly danced around his face. Ken did not look up, his body heaving with each gasping breath as sweat glistened on his arms. Tiny beads of moisture slid along his jawline, and his hair was damp with sweat and matted to his head. His long hair was secured at the back of his head, falling between his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Lord Hokage...Namikaze-san was not in the most, er, appropriate state...when I found him," Ken offered between breaths.

"You could have done the proper thing and knocked!" Minato answered gruffly, avoiding Kushina's accusing gaze.

"_You_ could have shut the door, at least, before your date began to undress you and—" Ken hissed.

"Enough!" Hiruzen barked, his eyes dancing from one man to the other, "This is not the time! _What_ is going on?"

Two pairs of eyes grew wide at the Hokage's loss of composure. Ken glanced at Minato, who nodded slightly. Ken stared at the floor once more, as if collecting his thoughts. Kushina could hear Hiruzen's breathing as the kage awaited an answer. It was unlike the Hokage to lose his cool so easily, and she wondered if he was expecting news of this sort.

"I found another body! But this time, I saw who dumped it. I followed him and found where he was, er, conducting experiments. I immediately headed to ANBU Headquarters, but thought that alerting you, first, would be most appropriate. I had seen Minato and his, uh...lady friend on my way here. Despite my better judgment, I sought his expertise as well!" Ken quickly summarized his findings.

Kushina's mouth dropped open, Ken _purposely _asked for Minato's help? What was the world coming to? Her mind was racing from such revelations, and she barely noticed that Ken was staring directly at her. Up until this point, he hadn't noticed her presence.

"Kushina? Shit, I didn't mean for you to hear that, before—"

"Too late for that," Minato growled, his cheeks red as he quietly re-buttoned his shirt.

His spiky blonde hair fell in his eyes, shielding his gaze from her view. He quickly secured his pants, tucking his shirt into them and straightening himself so that he was more presentable. He seemed to have no idea that there was coral-colored lipstick on his starched white collar or the pale skin of his neck. Kushina found that she had an odd desire to fiercely rub all traces of Minato's cheap date away. What had gotten into her?

Hiruzen's face was devoid of emotion, but his voice was full of harsh authority as he questioned Kushina's former teammate, "You said you saw who dumped the body..."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Ken answered softly, fearing the answer he already knew.

"And who was it?" The muscle in Hiruzen's jaw twitched as he awaited the dreadful truth.

"It was Orochimaru," Ken affirmed, his voice barely above a whisper as his eyes once again dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry, my Lord."

"It is as we thought," Minato's voice was a dull murmur as he spoke. It was as if the two men were trying to dampen the impact of the news on the village leader.

Hiruzen stumbled backward, and Kushina was immediately at his side to support him, "Ojii-san!"

His right hand clutched the crimson fabric over his heart as the kage closed his eyes, leaning on Kushina for momentary support. The kunoichi took a few steps behind her, until she was able to ease him onto his expansive desk. The older man licked his lips, his face ashen and his skin clammy. Kushina knew that Ken's news had elicited this response, but she had no idea as to _why_. She had heard the name before, but she was not familiar with this person. Who was this Orochimaru?

"What is it? Are you alright?" she whispered frantically, glancing at the two men before her.

"I am fine," Hiruzen opened his eyes, his gaze full of conviction as he mustered the strength to stand. "No need to worry, my child."

"I will await further instruction, my Lord," Ken offered, still crouching in the middle of the room.

Hiruzen swallowed and blinked rapidly as he composed himself. His voice was weak and full of regret as he spoke, "Ken, are you sure it was him? It was Orochimaru?"

"I am, sir," Ken lifted his chin, pulling his mask from his head so that the Hokage could see his expression, "I saw him with my own eyes. I swear on my life."

"I see," Hiruzen whispered, his eyes momentarily becoming cloudy as a pained expression crossed his weary features.

"Sarutobi-sama, what would you like us to do?" Minato asked, concern evident on his face as he pushed his hair from his eyes.

Kushina could feel the terror rising in her own throat as her heart began to race, "Who is this man?"

"He is—" Ken began, glancing from Hiruzen to Minato.

"Now is not the time, Ken," Minato interrupted, noticing the kage's pained expression.

"My apologies," Ken mumbled, not arguing with the blonde jonin as he cast another look toward Kushina.

"Your orders, my Lord?" Minato spoke again, his tone more forceful this time. "We have to act. Now. No more lives can be taken!"

"Yes," Hiruzen licked his lips, steadying himself on his own two feet. He gently pushed Kushina's helping hands away, "I'm fine, Kushina. Thank you for your concern, my dear."

"But, you are _not_ well!" she insisted, her voice shrill.

"I am well enough," he smiled faintly, a hint of sadness in his voice. "It was startling news, that is all. I will be fine, do not worry." He looked at the two men before him as he stood tall with resolve, "Ken, please alert ANBU. But, _I _want to be the one to confront Orochimaru. I need to...do this..."

"Understood," Ken replied, "I will gather an acceptable squad and return shortly. Please prepare yourself, Hokage-sama."

"I will go as well," Minato replied, his expression stern and decided, "I will return shortly."

"You are both dismissed," Hiruzen nodded at the two men. Both men disappeared in a blink of an eye, Minato being the first one to disappear. Ken had cast a worried glance toward Kushina before he took his leave.

Kushina immediately took advantage of her solitude with Hiruzen. "What is it? Tell me!"

Hiruzen avoided her gaze, his hands trembling slightly, "There have been, er, disappearances over the past few years. Some were thought to have defaulted from the village, though a few bodies were later...recovered."

"That's horrible!" Kushina was aghast; her eyes wide with disbelief as her hand slipped over her mouth.

Hiruzen nodded his agreement, "They were badly decomposed beyond visible recognition, but we were still able to identify them as the formerly defunct missing-nin. Someone had been experimenting on them in various ways that only a knowledgeable shinobi could. We had our suspects, of course, but could never substantiate those suspicions with evidence. Until now, I suppose."

"Who is he?" she asked, knowing Hiruzen well enough to sense that this newfound suspect was an important person to the Hokage.

"It is not of significance," the kage answered softly, looking at his hands as his gaze grew distant.

"Bullshit, old man!" Kushina argued, "I know you well enough to see that it's tearing you up! I'm going with you, I'm going to help—"

"No, Kushina!" Hiruzen looked at her with wild eyes, "It's too dangerous! _He's _too dangerous! Orochimaru is no longer the boy I knew—the boy I taught to become a noble shinobi—he is a murderer and..."

His voice trailed off as the tears sprang to his eyes. Kushina suddenly realized the brevity of the situation: former master pitted against his cherished, wayward student. It was a cruel situation—one that Kushina could only pretend to comprehend.

"I'm...sorry," she whispered, sympathizing for her former guardian.

"Do not be sorry, child," Hiruzen looked ahead as he spoke, his face softening, "It is something I should have done a long time ago. I suppose this is my punishment for not seeing Orochimaru's evil ways much earlier."

* * *

**OoOoO**

* * *

She was not in the mood to meet up with Shikaku, Choza, and Jin at the tavern, instead finding herself uneasy as she roamed the backstreets of Konoha. Hiruzen had insisted that she leave him, adamant about changing into his armor before leaving to confront his former student. Kushina had been aware that Jiraiya had been the kage's genin at one point, but she did not know much about the other two team members. She hadn't heard much of this Orochimaru until today. His name had been whispered here and there at some point, but she had never recognized it and its association with the Sarutobi patriarch.

Kushina dazedly passed the bathhouses, opposite of main entrance. It was dimly lit in the tiny alley, so she was careful as she slowly tread the silent street. A slight movement caught her eye, and she spied the dark form of something or someone huddled against the far bathhouse wall. She narrowed her eyes to allow for a better view through the darkness, quickly noticing the cone of light emanating from a hole in the side of the building. Why was someone here? Especially at this time of night, no less! Upon creeping closer, recognition dawned on the red-head.

"Just _w__hat_ are you doing, pervert?" she asked, hands on her hips as she stood over the man. She had caught a bit of his incoherent whispers as he excitedly spied on the unsuspecting victims inside the bathhouse.

"Holy hell!" the man bellowed, quickly realizing he had been caught red-handed. He quickly glanced up at the person interrupting his night escapades, his excuse on the tip of his tongue...

"Perverted sage!" Kushina hissed as she confirmed that it was Jiraiya who was spying on the patrons in the sauna. Part of her was appalled, the other part of her was not so surprised...

"Kushina-chan!" he mewed enthusiastically. "How lovely you look—" His hands were comically clasped together, as if he were begging for her mercy in regards to his life.

"Can it, you freak!" she growled, crouching down to see what Jiraiya had been doing.

Her stomach flopped as she realized just what he could see. There wasn't much left to the imagination on the other side of the wall. Women were walking around, bare-breasted and chatting to one another happily unsuspecting of the peeping sage outside of the thin wall.

"I-It's not what it l-looks like, Kushina-chan! I'm d-doing research for my n-n-novel!" he tried to explain, his teeth chattering as he prepared for her blow.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't scream right now!" Kushina challenged, her jaw clenched with disgust. She drew away from the tiny hole in the wall, sure that he had put it there just for this purpose. It was no accident, she was sure.

"Huh?" Jiraiya's eyes bulged from his head as he registered her threat. "You _wouldn't_!"

"Try me," Kushina's smile grew deadly and her voice became cold. She knew she had him. _Check mate_.

"Whatever you want," Jiraiya whispered, his eyes darting around to ensure his privacy. He would be ruined if people knew he hovered around bathhouses, spying on unsuspecting women. He may even spend a few nights in jail for his misconduct.

Kushina quickly sprang to her feet, her deep cobalt eyes flashing her disgust as she looked down on his cowering form, "First, it's nice to see you again, Jiraiya. Second, you buy me ramen—"

"Deal!" Jiraiya chirped, his voice wavering as he intended to distract the kunoichi.

Kushina raised her hand in warning, "I'm not done yet, fool! You will buy me ramen _and _tell me who this Orochimaru is."

"Orochimaru? Why do you want to know—" he began, suddenly baffled by the unrelated request.

"Justshutthehellupandagree! _Before_ I scream, dammit!" she hissed, grabbing him by the collar. Her red hair was wildly blowing about her face, making her look like a savage woman.

"Will do!" Jiraiya answered quickly, his eyes still scanning the nearby alleyway to make sure no one had seen him.

Kushina quickly released him, "Good! Let's go, perverted peeper!"

Jiraiya followed her as she hurriedly strode down the ally, her arms stiffly swinging at her sides as her fists remained clenched. The Toad Sage's lips slowly curled into a smile as he followed her.

"Consider it a date," he softly cooed as he cast one last worried glance over his shoulder and followed Kushina into the darkness of the night.


	21. Heartstrings' Lullaby

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all made me smile :) Which then prompted me to get this out ASAP. Please forgive any mistakes, I'm seeing double from reading this a billion times. Again, thanks to my reviewers, you make me keep writing! I hope the new readers, as well as the old, still enjoy this story! I really enjoy seeing what Kishi has created for my now-favorite couple. Such a sad love story, no? Anyhow, we are getting there, I promise. I need more angst!  
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**Happy Reading! Please continue your wonderful reviews, peeps! :D Enjoy!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just OCs created along the way. Booyah. _**  
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**~OoOoO**~

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Kushina was on her eleventh bowl of ramen as Jiraiya finished his story. She glanced at the young man behind the counter while he prepared her twelfth bowl as she loudly slurped her noodles. She glanced into her bowl, noticing her reflection in the salty broth. She looked tired, mostly from the events that had occurred over the past few days. She sighed into the spent liquid; quickly trapping the remainder of her noodles between her chopsticks. She hadn't expected Jiraiya's story to be _so long_.

He had explained his childhood and genin team consisting of himself, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, which was led by none other than the current Hokage. Kushina took note of the sage's nostalgic expression as his voice resonated with a mixture of pride and longing. The red head found herself slightly disappointed that she hadn't known much about Hiruzen's days as leader of his genin team. Mostly, though, it was due to the subject matter never coming up, and of course Kushina would never think to discuss things that had taken place such a long time ago. She never wanted to dwell in the past, only living for the future and whatever it may hold...

"Sho...Shunade wash your fird teammate?" she mumbled with a mouth full of noodles.

Jiraiya looked disgusted as a fleck of noodle flew from between her lips and landed on the rim of his bowl. He pushed the bowl away, sighing in exasperation. His lips were pressed firmly together, as he stared off into the distance. Kushina suddenly felt very sorry for the sage. She knew that being on a team with two other people for a large number of years only brought you closer, so it was only natural that Jiraiya be disappointed in Orochimaru's life choices. And, it didn't help that Tsunade has practically fallen off the face of the earth.

"Sowwy," she reached over to retrieve the piece of noodle, hoping to lighten the mood. "Ooo gonna eath thish?"

"No, it's all yours," he inched the bowl closer to her, his face turning a slight shade of puce."And yes, Tsunade was our third teammate."

"So...what went wrong?" Kushina asked as she moved her own empty bowl away and began consuming Jiraiya's leftovers.

"What do you mean?" He seemed unaware of what she was asking, as if he hadn't thought that _anything _had gone wrong.

"Where did this...Orochimaru guy go crazy? I mean, he's killing people and using their bodies! That's crazy if you ask me!"

Jiraiya winced at her words, and Kushina was immediately regretful of her carelessness. The sage was silent for some time as he thought back on his happier genin days. He had been close to Orochimaru at one point, but somewhere in the war, their friendship had changed. Something in his friend had died, and a new fire had been alight in those coal black eyes. It was a fire like any Jiraiya had ever seen, and he remembered the ominous feeling Orochimaru's eyes held after the war.

"After the Second Ninja War," Jiraiya spoke, his voice suddenly hoarse—forcing him to clear his throat, "he was never the same. I didn't...didn't know him anymore."

"Somethin' happen to him?" Kushina's question was tentative as she eyed her approaching bowl of fresh, steaming ramen. She nodded at the boy who shakily walked it toward her, spilling some of the delicious broth. He had been serving her ramen for a couple of years, the eldest son of the stand's owner.

_His name is Teuchi, _she reminded herself, smiling as he drew near, despite her disappointment that he was spilling a good bit of her meal.

"Something happened to all of us during that war," Jiraiya murmured softly, his eyes far away. "We saw a lot of death, and that can have a toll on anyone. I suspect, somewhere in that giant mess, he became afraid of dying...wanted more power, I dunno. It was like I had never known him. Even sensei had no idea what to make of it."

"I see," Kushina replied as she tore into her fresh bowl or ramen.

She had been so distracted by her current task, she nearly missed the second bowl as it slid onto the counter top to her left. Her eyes caught the movement, and her head snapped up in confusion. She hadn't requested another bowl...

"What's this for?" Kushina blinked, looking at the offending object. It was oddly reminiscent of something, though she couldn't quite place it. The dish wasn't her first choice, but she would still gladly eat it...

"Isn't your..um, b-boyfriend c-c-oming?" the boy stammered, his cheeks reddening from her scrutiny.

"You have a _boyfriend_?" Jiraiya wriggled his eyebrows in amusement, taking note of Kushina's sudden, ashen complexion. "Why didn't you tell_ me_ this, Kushina-chan? Do spill the beans!"

She shot him a dark blue glare of hatred before her gaze returned to the younger lad. He was practically trembling as he nervously squeezed his fingers. Sweat was beading on his upper lip, and he removed his hat, wiping it along his hairline. She thought she could hear his teeth chattering as he averted his gaze.

"My boyfriend?" she spit the words from her mouth, her distaste on her tongue. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head as she glared at the boy. The noodles limply hung from her mouth as she did so. It would have been comical, had the boy not been so scared of her.

"Yes...the b-blonde one...Minato-san? He's here with you every night," Teuchi's nervously glanced at the bowl, fidgeting almost violently under Kushina's blue scrutiny, "Isn't h-he your b-b-boyfriend?"

"Woohoo!" Jiraiya whistled, "I knew you'd come around some day! To think that you see my student for the romantically illustrious lad that he is! Learned that all from me—"

Before the Toad Sage could finish his sentence, Kushina had landed a right hook in his left cheek. The violent reaction forcefully knocked him from his stool, his arms flailing from the jolt quaking through his body. He hit the floor with a loud thud, causing some stares from within the restaurant. Teuchi watched, his mouth ajar in shock and his eyes alight with a new fear for Kushina as he slowly began to back away from the scene. Jiraiya quickly recovered from the attack, sitting up and gently rubbing his sore and bruising cheek. He was caught off guard by Kushina's violent tantrum, but he couldn't deny that he was both surprised and impressed with the force behind it.

_That's the kind of woman Minato needs, _he cheekily told himself, deciding that his thought was best kept to himself. He didn't need another rage-fueled attack from the red-head. She was fired up, enough.

"What was that for, Kushina-chan?" Jiraiya whimpered, his voice filled with hurt and surprise as his eyes reinforced his feigned cluelessness as to what he had done to deserve such treatment.

"Namikaze. Minato. Is. _Not_. My. Boyfriend," she hissed, glaring down at him in anger and embarrassment.

She towered over him, her knuckles white as she clenched them. The small bones of her fists were red from where they met with Jiraiya's face. Her eyes flashed a murderous violet as her nostrils flared with each controlled breath. Red hair was in disarray, making her look both mystical and wild. For the first time in a while, Jiraiya actually felt a tiny surge of fear at Kushina's visible rage.

"That boy seems to think he is," Jiraiya smartly pointed out, nodding his head in Teuchi's direction. He nearly laughed when the poor boy yelped and hid behind the counter. Jiraiya decided against it, instead turning a suspicious eye on Kushina, "Now why would that be, Kushina-chan? Hmmm?"

_Dammit! _Kushina glanced at Teuchi, who hunkered at the violent gaze before deciding to silently scamper away. In doing so, he managed to take the proffered bowl of ramen with him—the one that had been Minato's favorite. Kushina could sense Jiraiya's smile from the corner of her eye, and her head snapped around so that she could glare at him.

"I don't know," she enunciated every word, maintaining a cold, steely gaze.

"Come _on_, Kushina! Tell your Uncle Jiraiya—OW!" he cried out as the toe of her boot connected with his tender ribs. To make it worse, she didn't kick him lightly.

"I told you that _I don't know_!" she yelled, her face turning bright red.

Jiraiya wondered if she was flushing out of anger, embarrassment, or realization. He suspected it was a combination of all three, though a majority could be attributed to the last concept. His side stung, and he was nearly convinced she had fractured a rib or two with her last blow. With Tsunade gone, he would have to heal on his own, and that prospect was not exciting. Still, he couldn't help but to goad the young woman. It was just too much fun.

"But they know his favorite dish!" the older man argued, giving himself a technical advantage.

Kushina's eyes grew wide as she opened her mouth to say something. She must have thought better of her next comment, as her eyes flashed dangerously as her jaw snapped shut. Jiraiya watched with muted amusement as her face went from bright red to a deep shade of crimson. She glared down at the sage, a hint of hurt hidden in her features. Jiraiya had to suppress a knowing smile, though her naivete did break his heart. He couldn't fathom any other reason why Teuchi seemed to think Minato was Kushina's boyfriend. On top of that, it was evident that Kushina was coming to the same conclusions, as to the basis of the boy's assumptions and perhaps something else that Jiraiya was unaware of—as her expression faded from anger to something akin to shock.

"Shit!" the air hissed as it hit her teeth as she groaned, "Oh no!" _No no no no NO!_ Realization hit her!

How had she been _that _stupid? Of _course _it would look like he was her boyfriend—he had been there practically _every _day! She had let him pay for her meals under the guise that she had stuck him with the tab. While _she _thought it was harmless fun, she could see how Teuchi would make _that _mistake. But, more importantly, what did Minato think of all of this? Surely he couldn't think that she was his girlfriend, could he?

_No, even Namikaze isn't _that _stupid, _she eased her concerns. _Besides, he wouldn't date other people if he thought that, right? _

With the heavy guilt lifting from her conscience, Kushina's look grew more mischievous as she watched Jiraiya's smirk fade. The slow and intentional transition took the sage by surprise, and he found a sudden chill running down his spine. Kushina turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes falling on the huddling Teuchi.

"Teuchi?" she called sweetly, her demeanor devoid of her previous hostility. The boy peered from around the corner, his eyes wide with terror, despite the sugary sweetness of the kunoichi's voice.

"Y-Y-Yes?" the boy stuttered, smoothing his apron as he stepped out from where he was hiding.

"This old guy here?" Kushina pointed at Jiraiya, feeling a surge of naughtiness, "He'll be paying for my meal."

"WHAT? You ate _eleven_ bowls of ramen, do you know how much that'll cost me?" Jiraiya was incredulous at Kushina's bold statement.

"Actually twelve," she smirked. "Thirteen if you count yours, though you were paying for that anyways, so I saved you some money, Pervert!"

"Pervert? Would you stop addressing me so informally, young woman—" Jiraiya began his tirade, but he found himself yelling at an empty stool as Teuchi hovered from behind the bar.

Kushina, it appeared, had quickly disappeared, leaving a soon-to-be-broke Jiraiya on the floor, foolishly screaming at no one in particular. Jiraiya pulled himself to his feet, returning to his stool. He removed his wallet from his robe, staring after Kushina as he fingered the coins that he hated to part with. He silently wondered if she would return to pay for her part of the meal. When it was apparent that she was not returning, he begrudgingly handed over the monies. Despite her horrid trickery, a knowing smile spread across his face as he shook his head.

_Those two_, he thought with a twinge of fatherly pride. _Will make an excellent couple. _

Both he and Hiruzen had predicted it would happen, even putting money down on when it would occur. So far, neither had lost, though Jiraiya's date was slowly approaching. The sage had to admit that he had assumed _his_ student would be the clueless one when it came to seeing their feelings for one another. Therefore, Kushina's blindness surprised the sage. She had disliked the boy when they were children, but after Lady Sarutobi's death, it seemed as if she had thrown aside her scorned pride.

_And look what is happening now, _he smiled fondly, waving for Teuchi to bring him a fresh bowl of ramen.

"Sir? What was that all about?" Teuchi asked timidly as he nervously glanced in the direction Kushina had departed. Jiraiya could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed his anxiety.

"Oh, nothing much, boy. Just mark your calender," the sage smirked, " You've just witnessed what may very well be the beginning of a beautiful relationship."

_Even if _she_ doesn't realized it yet._

_

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**~OoOoO~**_  
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Kushina tossed and turned all night, worried about Hiruzen and the challenge he had to face in regards to his former student. From various sources, she had been fortunate to gleam some information about the intended interception of Orochimaru. She had learned that Orochimaru had managed to escape the village without harm, somehow slipping past Minato and the other jonin who had anticipated that the guilty shinobi would flee Konoha if he managed to get past Hiruzen and whatever ANBU he took with him. Though she was unsure of what happened during the confrontation of Hokage and student, Kushina was aware that Orochimaru had managed to flee Konoha without Minato so much as laying a finger on him. In the end, she learned that the Hokage had not been harmed, greatly alleviating her crushing anxieties. Though she was concerned for his physical well-being, Kushina was more worried about his emotional stability at the moment. There was also the comment made by Teuchi tonight, that bothered Kushina greatly, as well as a certain ANBU and best friend she had not heard from.

After a handful of hours in which she tossed and turned, Kushina decided that perhaps a walk was in order. Today, after all, was a horrible reminder of the loss of Lady Sarutobi. She lightly tiptoed out of bed, the cool floor sending a chill through her body as she quickly pulled on comfortable clothes. She tugged the black, sleeveless cowl-necked shirt over her head before slipping into her dark green cropped pants. She quickly brushed her hair, sighing as she realized just how long it had grown. She rarely wore it down, so its length was always lost on her until times such as these. She had always hated her hair as a child and young adult. It was the first, and only, thing she had wished to change about herself. With each loss in her life, her hair had been cut. It was the easiest way to take out her frustrations: by chopping off the one thing she hated. She ran her fingers through the silky reddish bronze locks, remembering the odd conversation she had with Minato one night at the ramen stand. He had commented on her unique hair and she had reminded him that he had spouted horrible criticisms about it during their youth.

"That's because I didn't know how to tell you I liked the color," he had shyly admitted, "And because I was an idiot who was more interested in making friends than shunning potential ones."

She had been taken aback by his oddly honest comment. It had been one of the few times that she had been utterly unable to spout a sarcastic remark. Before she could regain her voice and thought train, he had continued:

"I like your hair, and I think you should be proud of it. It's who you are, so don't ever try to hide that, Uzumaki," his face had turned pink with his pretty words, but he pushed on, "I, for one, like the color red. And I think it looks good on you."

She had never admitted it, but something about the kind words over her favorite meal put her at ease. She had instantly forgiven him for his childish indiscretions. They _were_ kids, after all, so why hold grudges against false ways of thinking? Yes, it had been _his_ words that had really touched her. All the times Ken or Lady Sarutobi had said they loved her long red hair, she still felt empty inside. It wasn't until someone else...Minato...had admitted that he, too, liked her hair, that she reaped some sense of pride in the unique trait she displayed.

She pulled the tiny headband from her bureau and secured her hair from her face. Her thick locks held a natural wave as it fell down her back. Kushina rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself as she lazily shoved her toes into her black slip-on shoes. She cast one last glance in the mirror, allowing her eyes to wander over her reflection. After all those years, the tomboy had finally turned into a woman. Her breasts weren't as big as she would prefer them to be, but she couldn't deny the womanly curves that accentuated her body. Her days as a kunoichi kept her in shape, her frame slim and lithe from the exercise. She touched the creamy skin of her neck, noting the contrast of her hair against her paleness. Her blue eyes looked more violet today, and she wondered if they reflected her sadness of this anniversary. Her eyes always appeared more purple when she was upset about something.

Kushina grabbed a few items, shoving them in her pockets as she left her apartment, leaping over the railing and landing on the ground. She slowly walked toward the Hokage Manor, knowing that the corner store would be open this early. She had a few things she wanted to purchase so she could make Hiruzen's favorite breakfast. She did this every year on the anniversary of Lady Sarutobi's death: she would quietly sneak into Hiruzen's home, cook, and leave before he awoke, allowing him to eat in peace. She knew that Asuma would sleep in much later, but she still packed a tiny box for when he woke.

Though she was no longer living in the Hokage Manor, her heart still resided there with the people she loved. The only family she had left.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Kushina!" Asuma's voice cracked, more from the growth changes of manhood than his own emotions.

Kushina smiled to herself, her back to the pair approaching her from the gentle, curving slope of the hill. They always met like this, each year. She could hear Asuma's heavy footsteps as he ran toward her. She felt his arms encircle her waist as he hugged his adoptive sister.

"It's good to see you, too," she ruffled his hair.

"Hey!" he whined, smoothing it with his own hands, "I gotta look good for the ladies."

"You are too young for that crap!" Kushina teased, "And it's getting too long!"

"I'm a man, now!" Asuma puffed out his chest with almost-childish pride, "Right, dad?"

Hiruzen chuckled at his son's words. He had a feeling the young Sarutobi was on his way to becoming a womanizer. The adolescent showed promise to be a great shinobi, following the footsteps of his older brother as well as taking charge during his genin missions. The Chuunin Exams were fast approaching, and Asuma was adamant that he would be participating. Hiruzen wasn't so sure his son was ready, but, despite his hard demeanor, the kage would not deny the boy his chance to participate—especially not if his team leader thought he was capable. Though he wasn't always an active part of his son's life, Hiruzen made sure to stay updated on his Asuma's progress. At times, he felt guilty for not being the father he wanted to be, but he had made a promise to protect thousands of other lives as well, and thus the sacrifice of his fatherhood. This was where his wife had excelled: child-rearing.

The trio turned and lovingly stared at the tomb of Lady Sarutobi. The mauve roses were gently spreading their petals, soon to be in full bloom. Kushina couldn't deny that she was grateful to Inoichi's girlfriend for the suggestion to plant the beautiful rose bush.

"Your flowers are beautiful," Hiruzen murmured, "She would have loved him."

"She _does _love them," Asuma corrected, pain flashing across his face.

"Of course, how silly of me," he placed a hand on Asuma's shoulder. The boy was quickly growing, and would soon tower over his father. Hiruzen's heart ached as he thought about the day where he could no longer muss his son's hair.

"Did you enjoy breakfast?" Kushina whispered as Asuma examined the rose bush, laying his own hand-picked wildflowers on the grave.

"I did, thank you," Hiruzen smiled. "If I pretended, I would almost say she cooked it."

Kushina's heart swelled with pride from Hiruzen's praise, "That is an honor! Thank you."

"She had taught you well; you will make an excellent wife someday," Hiruzen offered, not missing the look of panic that had fleeted across her face.

Kushina quickly cleared her throat, "What are your plans for dinner? With Asuma?"

"The usual. Just another day, after all," Hiruzen replied wistfully, his voice filling with the usual melancholy that this day brought to him.

"Bah!" Kushina waved her hand dismissively, "I'll be over to make you two something. You can't just sit in the dark and be depressed all day."

"You worry too much, child," the kage replied, his eyes watering as he watched Asuma tuck the flowers into the ground.

"You took care of me when I needed it," Kushina replied softly, reaching out to squeeze Hiruzen's hand.

The older man did not pull away as his tears silently streaked his face. Asuma remained with his back to the pair, though Kushina could see the slight shaking of his shoulders and hear his stifled sniffles. She, too, felt her eyes well up as she silently mourned the woman who was like a mother to her.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina was cleaning her katana when she heard the hesitant knock at her door. She was suddenly puzzled, wondering who would be knocking at this hour. She had left the Hokage mansion just after dusk, and could only think of a handful of people who would dare interrupt her this late. She nervously opened the door to find Ken standing there, a handful of flowers in the crook of one arm while his other hand nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at the ground, his chestnut hair messy and damp. His sweater looked tighter than Kushina could remember...

"Hiya, Kushina," he mumbled, shoving the flowers toward her, "I just wanted to give you these, since, well, uh...today and all..."

"Thank you," she replied, smiling softly. He always remembered the anniversary date. "Would you like to come in?"

He glanced at her before looking down again—it was as if he were having an internal debate, "I suppose I could, I guess."

"Want a drink?" she asked politely.

"Nah, I'm fine...whaddya up to?" his eyes fell on her katana, "Oh, nevermind."

Kushina sat on the edge of her frayed, over-stuffed chair, her stomach fluttering nervously as she watched Ken rub his upper arm, "So, uh, you still haven't told the Hokage you want to be in ANBU?"

"No..." she trailed off, thinking about Hiruzen's offer, "I just don't think it's _me _anymore. You know?"

He nodded, "I guess. Makes sense."

"Yeah..." she replied softly, playing with her fingernails.

"So...you, uh, wanted to talk?" he offered, looking away as if he already knew what she was going to say.

"Ken..."

"Don't. Just don't apologize! I'm tired of the 'I'm sorry' and the 'It won't happen again' bullshit, Kushina!" his voice was an octave higher as he clenched his fists, "I really don't want an apology."

"Then, what do you want?" she asked, blinking in sudden confusion. "How can I make this better between us? You're my best friend and—"

"I want you to love me like I love you!" he unexpectedly blurted, his face crimson as his eyes again darted to the floor. He took a deep breath to settle himself as he raised his eyes to meet her startled gaze.

She hadn't expected this. Not _this._ They had never said _those _words to one another...

Before she could say anything, Ken quickly continued, his words rushed, "I've cared about you ever since we were kids, Kushina! I've tried to deny it, and I've tried to just be friends, but I can't help the way I feel. You are my best friend and you are the person I love most in this world. I can't imagine my life without you, but I can't imagine staying with you if you don't feel that way about me!"

Kushina could feel her throat closing up as the tears stung her eyes. He was so adorable as he stood there, proclaiming his undying love to her. But, she couldn't return his feelings, and she was almost confident that she never would. He washer best friend and he was her brother. He was _Ken_. And, she did not love him in the way that Arashi had spoke of, despite her desperate desire to.

"You're my best friend, too, Kenny. You know that," she began, immediately being cut off by the pacing shinobi as he spun around to face her, his eyes filled with betrayal and anger.

"Don't. Just don't, Kushina! If you can't say it back, don't sugar coat it! I want the truth. I've done my part in all of this, and I've tried, but it just seems you don't really want to be with me..." His eyes were tortured as he looked at her, the dark irises pleading with her to say something—anything to prove him wrong.

"I..." she began, the tears falling freely as she dropped her head into her hands.

"It's him, isn't it?"

"What? Who?" her head snapped up as her eyes searched Ken's face.

"Namikaze! He's the reason you can't love me," Ken blurted, turning away from her.

"That's...that's ridiculous!" she trilled, shocked that he would even _say_ such a thing, let alone think it.

"You have dinners with him, you grow your hair because of him—"

"Now wait a minute! It was just something he said in passing. I'm not growing my hair out because of something some stupid jonin said!" She suddenly wished she had never shared that conversation with her friend...

Ken laughed bitterly, "You don't even see it, do you? You're really _that_ blind aren't you, Kushina? Even _I_ can tell. _Everyone else_ can tell...except you!"

"Tell _what_?" she cried, confused at his rambling.

"That you care about that prodigal Namikaze Minato!"

"I _don't_!" she protested, standing and pleading with him, wanting to prove him wrong. "Ken, I'm sorry! Just tell me what to do—"

"Tell me you love me. That you want to be with me. That you feel the same way about me as I do you. That you can't stand being apart. That you would die for me. Tell me, Kushina!" his brow was creased as he relived every emotion he had ever felt for her, the pain anew on his face as he took a step toward her.

Kushina felt her heart shatter as she watched her closest friend suffer through something she was only making worse. She only wanted to make it better, and she was failing miserably. Why couldn't she just fall in love with him and live happily ever after? He deserved happiness, so why couldn't she give that to him? Kushina's mind was running rampant with 'what ifs' as she weakly collapsed in the chair, tears streaking her cheeks as she sobbed into her hands.

"You can't, can you?" Ken whispered, his voice soft and filled with unbearable pain. Kushina said nothing as her heart raced and her shoulders shook. Why couldn't she love him?

"Forget it," Ken muttered miserably, "Just forget anything I said, Kushina."

"I'm sorry, Ken..." she whimpered, her heart aching to give him _that_ part of her.

"Don't be. At least now I know. I wanted honesty, and now I got it! My own damned fault!" his laughter was bitter.

Kushina looked up with tear-filled eyes, hoping that she could say something that would magically make it better. Ken's eyes were filled with longing as he fought back tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ken quickly turned and exited her apartment. The door slammed loudly as Kushina rocked back and forth in her chair, clasping her knees to her chest. The only thing that could be heard in her apartment was the sounds of her soft sobbing as she mourned the loss of yet another person she loved.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Weeks had passed and Kushina still had not seen Ken. She had looked for him, but her searches proved to be failures. She felt like she were living in a dream and her entire life was moving in slow motion. She closed her door and collapsed on her bed after a short trip to visit Asuma at the manor. She drew her hands over her face, closing her eyes and silently telling herself that it would be alright.

The new presence in her room caused her to sit up with a start, her hand finding the kunai under her mattress.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly, her eyes puffy from crying and lack of sleep.

The masked ANBU stepped forward, his dragon-like mask covering his face as his curly silver hair blew about his head, "Lord Hokage requests your presence, Uzumaki-san."

"What about?" she yawned, releasing her kunai to its hiding spot.

"You are needed for a new assignment," he told her bluntly, "and are to come with me."

"How precious," she mused sarcastically, "but why send a masked twit to find me?"

The ANBU stiffened, "It's an S-ranked mission."

"Oh," she replied, her heart racing at the new information. She had never been _summoned _for an assignment before. "Fine, lead the way."

Hiruzen had been trying to get her to babysit some genin for a while, but she had successfully refused such a task. Children weren't her thing, so she preferred to avoid them at all costs. Hopefully, this wasn't another attempt to get her to babysit, under the guise of a really important mission. Though, something about the ANBU's body posture and the haste at which he led her to the Hokage's office made her think otherwise. She quietly leaped along the rooftops, settling on the veranda outside of the office as the masked soldier opened the sliding glass door. Inside were a handful of ANBU elite as well as the Hokage. Kushina's eyes trailed along each of the ANBU, hoping to see some sign of Ken but finding none. Her eyes returned to Hiruzen, and she spied two newcomers standing behind the kage. They were older individuals that Kushina faintly recalled as the village council or something equally boring.

"Uzumaki Kushina," Hiruzen nodded formally, waving to the seat in front of his desk.

"Lord Hokage," she bowed her head in return,"May I inquire what this is about?"

"Ah, yes," Hiruzen replied seriously, sliding the letter across the desk. The red, wax seal was broken, as Hiruzen had already read the contents.

Kushina scanned the document, uncomfortable that all eyes were on her as she did so. The writing, from what she could make of it, discussed the sudden disappearance of women from all over the Land of Fire. The suspicion was that they were being trafficked and sold somewhere deep within the Land of Earth. Further investigation was necessary in order to draw out the country's motives...

"What does this have to do with me?" she asked, dark blue eyes flickering over the people standing behind the Hokage.

The older woman stepped forward, "We have successfully infiltrated what we believe to be the ring of traffickers. But, none of our spies, thus far, have been able to get close enough to gain real intel."

"And?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, not sure she was following.

"_And_," the man answered, "that is why we need your help. If you are willing, we would like to send you in to gain said information."

Kushina narrowed her eyes, glancing at Hiruzen. He looked especially worried, though he was doing his best to hide it as he tapped his fingertips together, "Uzumaki-san, we need you to be 'trafficked', so to speak. If you agree to this, we will use our established connections to 'sell' you so that you may be able to convincingly infiltrate this ring. If you agree to it, that is."

"Why is a trafficking ring such an important deal?" Kushina asked warily.

"Important women have disappeared—women who are the wives, daughters, granddaughters of nobles in our allied villages, and, so far, we are the only village unscathed by these mongrels," the woman answered, her graying hair pulled tightly in a bun, away from her face.

"So it's to keep Konoha from becoming a _suspect_?" Kushina narrowed her eyes.

"Exactly," the older man answered gruffly, nodding in agreement as he cast a glance to the woman beside him.

"But, how do you know that selling me into this ring will allow me to get closer to the person or people behind this?" she couldn't deny her interest, but she felt as if they were leaving out a huge piece of the puzzle. Something wasn't quite right...

Her question was answered by unintelligible looks between the duo as Hiruzen squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. It was some time before anyone spoke. Finally, it was the Hokage who addressed the red-head's earlier question

"Because, my dear," Hiruzen answered, "You bring to us an advantage for which we had never anticipated."

"Huh?" Kushina replied unprofessionally, her mouth falling open in confusion.

"You see, Uzumaki-san," the kage's lips pressed together as his expression grew grim, "Our inside contacts tell us that he has a penchant for redheads."


	22. Into the Wild

**A/N: WARNING! It's about to get darkfic-like and perhaps violent here! You are now forewarned for after this chapter! This one's slightly risque, and I may have to change the rating, so you all know! I want to highlight the darkside of a shiniobi's life, so please bear with me :) I think I'll make some of you just a _littlebit_ happier with this...  
**

Kushina98: It's your lucky day :) Hope you feel that way after reading it!

Emi: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you're reading. Always let me know what you think!

M-R: my friend, you may have ESP. Beware!

**_Oh, and please no choking on cereals while reading this. I can't handle thinking I killed someone. That means you, Bathman!_ Happy Reading! Enjoy! Much love to readers and reviewers, keep 'em coming!  
**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I responsible for any psychological issues following reading this fic ;)_**  
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* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Despite the cramped chaos of her imprisonment, Kushina found herself alone in the corner. With its cold stone walls, the obvious lack of windows, disgustingly grimy floor, and the stench of urine, the tiny room was more like a jail cell holding beyond its maximum capacity of prisoners. Thus, it came as a surprise that Kushina could find a little peace in the corner, where she could observe the goings-on around her.

After weeks of traveling and rehearsed deceptions, the kunoichi should have looked forward to her down time, but instead, she found herself even more agitated. Perhaps her discord was because she truly didn't know what to expect of this mission, nor was she entirely prepared. Her instructions from the Hokage had been brief: aid in kidnapping Target X, alert ANBU so that a suitable substitute could be created, return to Konoha with Target X. Kushina wasn't sure what any of this might entail, nor did she know who the posted ANBU were or if they knew about her presence. She was hoping there would be some sort of obvious signal so that she had _some _idea of whom she should get a hold of, and how.

All-in-all, the situation was definitely chaotic, and she hated having no control.

Her only relief had been that she was brought this far by a friendly face: Jin. He had been her "owner", negotiating Kushina's trade. It had been the final transaction; the evidence Konoha needed to justify their cause. Jin had been wired, of course, and so the entire exchange was on record. Kushina had predicted the use of the recording device. What she hadn't predicted, however, was that the people buying the poor, orphaned red-head would slash Jin's throat. Simple mutilation did not stop there, no. The two men bound Jin's ankles and wrists, allowing him to slowly bleed out as they searched the disguised shinobi for any valuables.

It was the only time in Kushina's life where she had thanked any and all godly creatures that the brutes she was dealing with were nitwits. The two men didn't even consider that it was possible for the dying man to be a spy, therefore negating the need to check _under _his clothes. Then there was the minor argument between the grimy men over who would get to take credit for the man's death. Kushina had to intervene, feigning hysteria so that Jin didn't bleed out in front of them. His shadow clone, after all, would only last so long, and she didn't want to be around when it spontaneously disappeared. She had no doubt in her mind that she could easily take the two buffoons, even with her hands tied behind her back.

Her plan had worked, and the men had carried the flailing, frantic woman off, leaving Jin's clone to die on the forest floor. Kushina had to admit, seeing someone she recognized so brutally attacked—no matter if it were simply a clone—bothered her greatly. She had to fight down the protective urge that was forcing its way to the surface, tempting her to rip the mens' limbs from their bodies one-by-one. She had cast one last teary glance over her shoulder, only to find the real Jin crouching in the tree, nodding his farewell to her. She could see the concern in his eyes, and she was suddenly slapped with the realization of the peril that lay ahead for her. No matter the circumstance, she must take this mission seriously. From that point on, Kushina was no longer a kunoichi; she was a far away lord's virginal daughter, waiting to be plucked by the highest bidder and sold into captivity.

She had a lot to look forward to. So much so that she could barely contain her disdain as she leaned against the gritty wall. She could feet the cold stone scrape against her shoulder blades, its coarseness not helped by the potato sack she was wearing. It wasn't _really _a potato sack, but it _felt _like it. She scanned the room. All the women were wearing the same indecent article of clothing: a mossy brown robe that skimmed the ankle and was tied at the waist by a thin, frayed rope. Underneath the robes, they wore scant undergarments—barely decent by Kushina's standards. Those, too, had been given to them after being shoved in this hovel. They had to peruse through the items, procuring their own lingerie. This had been a point of contention for Kushina, who had rarely ever worn anything tight or revealing, much less lacy and brightly colored. They had not been allowed to push the hoods away from their faces until they had entered the communal waiting room. Only here could they reveal the terrified expressions on their faces and the tears of agony. Being this close to so many women brought back memories of her Women's Preparation during her academy days...

"_Your body is your weapon, girls," the gaunt woman had instructed them as the adolescents giggled at the thought of her ever using her body to seduce anyone. _

_The old instructor had smacked her lips together, her cold gray eyes running over each of them, a knowing expression on her face, "Mark my words, sex will get you far, if you are willing. Remember that you are kunoichi You are women who have what men do not: the opportunity to use your allure to make a man lower his guard. That, my dears, will be where you will succeed when others cannot." _

Kushina had hated those classes, always telling herself she would _never _take _those _sorts of missions. Though she had vowed to never doing so, her friends hadn't been so choosy. Slowly, one by one, her female companions had taken on such missions, returning to share the details. Some had said it was the most painful experience ever while most said it didn't hurt at all. All said they couldn't see the big deal around losing their virginity, as it was, after all, for the greater good of the village. They were kunoichi. They were sex. They were held to different moral standards than the civilian women, and the male shinobi actually found the seasoned women more desirable, as they knew how to please their man.

Despite all this, Kushina could never fathom it for herself. She had swore she would kill before she was ever unwillingly forced to give that part of herself that she wished to share with someone she loved. But, as the years passed, she was beginning to doubt that was how it would happen. The only man she had been close enough to sharing that part of her with was Ken, and he had decided to shut her out of his life, though she couldn't blame him. Part of her was relieved that she had ended whatever romantic relationship they had, as it was neither healthy or conducive to their friendship. It only served to complicate things and give them a means to let loose the hormones that both had pent up. Yet, she had never allowed herself to go that far with Ken, and he had never pressured her. She knew that he had been with a woman before, and she had felt a pang at jealousy at that knowledge, though it was not toward the other woman. The one time she convinced herself that they would consummate their relationship, he had been sent on a last minute mission. Perhaps it was a sign of what was not meant to be.

But, what _is_ meant to be? What is _ever _meant to be? Would she die an old spinster surrounded by cats? Would she ever find someone she would fall madly in love with? Would she ever experience that passion her friends spoke of, the can't-keep-her-hands-off-of-the-other-person hunger? These were the thoughts that were affirming her decision to do what it took for this mission to succeed. If it meant having sex with whomever to ensure that she served her country well, then so be it. She was finally ready to experience what it was truly like to be a kunoichi She would accept it; it was her time.

She briefly worried about the concerns surrounding pregnancy. Abortions were common among the shinobi women, as no one desired to conceive a child that was from an unwanted act. There were a few who did choose to carry to term, but Kushina knew that there would always be those snide remarks behind the child's back, mostly surrounding the manner of conception. There were ways to prevent pregnancy, sure, and many options in way of treating sexually transmitted diseases. She wasn't sure which ailment concerned her more.

Hushed whispers slowly grew into frantic wails as some women felt the panic crashing over them as their confinement continued. Kushina had no doubt that these were the heavily drugged, whose sedation was quickly wearing off. Her eyes swept the room, studying her fellow victims. Some were grimy, their hair a tangled mess and their hands and feet smeared with dirt. Some were not much older than Kushina; others were not yet adults! She felt sickened at the thought of what would happen to these poor girls, her fists clenching in both sympathy and anger.

"Are you afraid?" came the hoarse whisper from beside her.

Kushina stared in wide-eyed awe at the girl next to her, her own hair red like Kushina's. The color wasn't the same shade of red—the girl's being much lighter with brown undertones—but it was _definitely _red. Kushina nodded, too afraid to betray herself.

"Me, too," the girl's eyes lowered the floor. She was breathtakingly pretty, her eyes a soft green.

"How did you get here?" Kushina asked, regaining her composure and trying not to stare.

"I don't remember," the girl whispered in return, her pale eyes watering, "The last thing I remember was saying goodnight to my parents. They must be so worried!" The tears silently trailed over her high cheekbones, dripping off of her chin as her lower lip trembled.

"It'll be alright, trust me," Kushina grabbed the girl's hand, squeezing instinctively and with ease. Clover eyes looked up sadly as she nodded, too choked up to speak. She sniffed as Kushina squeezed more tightly, "I'm Kushina."

She didn't know why she shared her real name; it had just come tumbling out of her mouth. She realized that she was practically a nobody outside of Konoha, and that her error was probably safe.

The girl smiled, though her attempt was weak, "I'm Momoko...my parents call me Momo..."

Kushina smiled encouragingly as the women shifted around them like a flock of birds suddenly abuzz with something. "What's goin' on?" she wondered aloud.

The girl narrowed her eyes, "The door has opened. I think someone has entered."

"What could they want?" Kushina murmured, more to herself. _Has the bidding begun already? _

She had only been there for an hour. She reminded herself to thank Jin for his encouragement as he dragged her through the forest. She would have taken her time, definitely missing this opportunity. They would have had to wait for new intel, informing them of where the next auction would occur.

The girls' eyes grew wide, "What are they going to do with all of us?"

"I'm not sure," Kushina answered solemnly, wanting to share everything with the girl. She was so vulnerable and young, and Kushina wanted to protect her. "How...how old are you?"

Her blue eyes flickered over the girl's face and chest. She may look younger, but her breasts were larger than Kushina's and her form voluptuous and enticing—even in such raggedly garments. Kushina's eyes again focused on the girl's face. The innocence in her eyes and the smooth brow of an idle life told Kushina that Momoko could be no older than sixteen of seventeen.

"I'm fifteen," the girl replied bashfully, "I just celebrated my birthday last week with my family. I'm their only child-" she choked down a sob, her small fist stiff against her lips.

Kushina stroked the girl's shoulder, hoping to comfort the teen, her irritation beginning to rise. How could such a young girl be targeted for such despicable purposes? She frantically tried to distract herself in hopes of quashing the red-hot rage.

"Does...does the rest of your family have hair like you, er...like us?" Kushina didn't know why she wanted to hear the answer so badly. Maybe she wanted to confirm that she wasn't the only red-head in the world.

"Oh yes!" Momo's face lit up, "My entire family has red hair! Yours?"

Kushina shook her head sadly, "Only my mother. She had the most beautiful red hair..."

"Oh," the girl frowned, catching the fleeting look of sorrow that flashed across Kushina's face. "I'm very sorry—I shouldn't have asked! It was rude of me!"

"It's alright," Kushina recovered, offering a smile. "It's in the past."

"The past...?" the girl looked dreamily toward the ceiling, as if she were taking herself to some far away place, a place where happiness lives...

"I'll tell you about it sometime!" Kushina promised, nodding her head in affirmation.

The girl smiled a radiant smile, "I'd like that! Maybe—"

Her sentence was never completed as two men with white porcelain masks quickly grabbed Momo, locking her arms behind her back. Kushina could hear the faint clinking of metal as the second man secured a metal collar around the young girl's neck.

"Kushina!" the girl gasped, her eyes wide with terror.

"Get your hands off of her, she's only a girl!" Kushina growled, her instincts taking over.

One of the masked men quickly spun, grasping Kushina's neck in his hands and slamming her against the wall. Kushina fought down her reflexive urge to fight back, realizing it wouldn't help her, Momo, or any of the others. The women were huddling near the walls, staring in quiet, wide-eyed horror as Momo's imprisonment. Kushina blinked, her vision blurry from the searing pain of her skull hitting the cold concrete. The man's thumb pressed into her carotid, and she began to feel weak as floating black spots crept into her vision.

"What did you say, _bitch_?" the man whispered, his face drawing closer. Kushina could see the dark brown eyes behind the mask.

"N-Nothing!" Kushina whispered in surrender, her eyes on Momo.

"No! Please don't hurt her! I'll come with you, I won't fight!" the girl quickly and shrilly replied. "P-Please! Have m-mercy!"

Kushina's vision was growing hazy as the man quickly withdrew his hand. She immediately dropped to her knees, her hand slowly snaking up to her neck and massaging the spot where the man had been pressing against the sensitive receptors in her artery. She sucked in a deep breath as Momo grew silent and calmly marched away with the two captors.

"It'll be alright," Momo whispered as she cast one last pale-green gaze in Kushina's direction.

The young girl smiled, her expression full of hope as one of the men grabbed the chain connecting her new necklace and wristlets, jerking her forward. The girl cried out in surprise as one of the men chuckled. As they dragged Momoko away, Kushina seared the masked man's eyes into her memory as well as the stench of his breath.

She'd come back for him later. Then, he'd pay, one testicle at a time.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

The next few hours passed much more slowly. Kushina paced as she awaited a new pair of masked men to take away another woman—one of those victims eventually being her. She glanced over the remaining women, immediately wishing she hadn't done so. Their eyes were filled with terror. The same pure terror that chills one to the bone.

Kushina stopped in front of the small huddling group, quickly glancing over her shoulder, "When you get out there, they are going to auction you off-"

A loud cry tore out as one of the women collapsed into the arms of another. Kushina shot the sobbing woman a warning look, "Collect yourself! I'm trying to let you know what to expect. No matter what you do in here, you're going to be taken out there, it won't change a thing nor will it do any good to scream about it! But, at least you know what to expect."

"Is it true?" one of the women asked, her right eye nearly swollen shut. Kushina's own deep blue gaze flickered over the injury. She nodded.

"Why?" came another hesitant voice.

"I'm not sure," Kushina replied, though she wasn't being entirely honest. She didn't want blow her cover. She was already sharing too much.

"How do you know?" the injured woman asked. Kushina shrugged, spinning around to quickly continue her pacing as she quietly reprimanded herself for being foolish and trying to help.

"Thank you," another whispered to her before her attention returned to the wailing woman who had now collapsed on the floor, banging her head against the wall. Kushina felt sickened at the woman's reaction, though she understood the despair.

As if on cue, the door opened and two looming figures entered the cell. Their masks moved with their heads, emphasizing the scanning of their gazes as they looked over the remaining women. Kushina could feel their hungry eyes honing in on her.

"You! Over there! You're next!" one yelled, pointing at her.

The second man pulled out the restraining cuffs and neck attachment, and Kushina held out her hands in front of her. The man shook his head, "No! Put 'em behind you! Now!"

Kushina hesitated, and the man cursed under his breath as he quickly spun her around as his partner clasped the cold metal around her wrists. Within seconds, her neck was constricted in the shiny metal collar. She dropped her wrists to a comfortable height above her rear, the chain keeping them suspended as she was roughly guided from the cell. She didn't look back, not wanting to see the pathetic figures hovering on the cold stone floor.

"This one'll bring in lots of money!" one of the men growled from behind his mask as they roughly pulled her through the dark hallway. Kushina sent an unobtrusive glance his way, noting the dull, expressionless white mask.

"Why's that?" the other one responded, his lisp making Kushina want to snicker.

"You're new, aren't you?" the first one asked, chuckling. "One of our best buyers has a thing for redheads. Says they're a rare beauty or some shit like that. Willin' to pay top price for 'em! No wonder he's bossman! But don't tell anyone I told youthat! Or you're as good as dead, ya hear?"

"I see," the second replied, his voice low as he watched the first draw his forefinger across his neck.

Kushina was distracted by the sudden bright light as it flickered from under the door ahead. Before she realized it, she was being thrust through double doors and into a large round atrium. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the tall glass panels around her. Behind the glass, looking back at her, was a sea of bright white masks, identical to those on the ones who dragged her from the waiting room. She quickly scanned the crowd, whose murmurs were now growing into more excited squabble. There were at least fifty buyers staring back at her through the slitted eyes of the plain porcelain masks. They, too, were wearing hooded robes, holding panels in her hands. She squinted, making out the marks on the wooden panels with their bamboo handles.

Numbers!

And she was the item being auctioned.

She felt one of the captor's grip tighten on her shoulder, but she ignored it as she stared, bewildered, at the room of willing buyers. They _had _to know that they were purchasing kidnapped women, did they not? Her hands trembled behind her back as she fought down tears of blazing rage.

"QUIET! QUIET, GENTLMAN!" came the booming voice from overhead, causing Kushina to jump. "WE HAVE BIDDING THAT NEEDS TO BEGIN. I HAVE PLACES TO BE, GENTLEMEN! AND WOMEN TO SEE!_" _

Kushina bit her lip as the room suddenly grew quiet after a few chuckles and some whispers.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! NOW LET'S BEGIN!"

Kushina felt her stomach sink as the bids grew higher, the men quickly raising their panels, showing their interest in the redhead. The ante was soaring higher and higher, some men shouting despicable cat calls toward her between bids. She stared ahead, ignoring their comments and thinking of something—anything but what was happening at the moment.

"MY MY, WE HAVE AN INTERESTING PIECE, DO WE NOT?" came the booming voice, "I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MUCH EXCITEMENT FOR SOME TIME! RIVETING!"

Kushina noted the potential buyer in the far right corner who quickly outbid any of the other men, and, thus far, was in the lead. His opponents were slowly dwindling off as the bids climbed.

"I want to see what I'm bidding on! Show me the goods!" came a muffled shout from somewhere to Kushina's left. His words were slurred, and Kushina suspected he had been enjoying too much of whatever he had been drinking.

The captors stepped to either side of her as the buyers began to cheer loudly, their calls growing more lewd. She knew what was coming, and furiously stared ahead, her jaw set in silent anger as she predicted her immediate future. As she had guessed, the two men quickly grabbed the tie on the front of her robe, one cutting it with a blade. The raggedy robe quickly dropped open, falling down her shoulders and dangling on her arms. She stood there in a half-naked state, as every pair of eyes settled on her body. The room quickly grew silent, and Kushina thought they could surely hear her heart beat. Suddenly, the room broke out in a hum of excited murmurs.

"Now, _that's_ what I want to see!" shouted one man. "That's quality grade, there!"

Kushina couldn't hide the flushing of her cheeks as her skimpy undergarments allowed a little less to the imagination. Her breasts were not large, but the bra did very little to hide the allure of her pathetic excuse for cleavage. She silently prayed that the filthy hoarding men would not want to see more. She should have known...

She heard another bid called out, a man in the far right corner. The same despicable man that had been winning thus far. Kushina glanced at him, noting his disarrayed appearance. A few tufts of straw-colored hair stuck out from his hood, and Kushina wanted to commit that hue that hue to memory so she could feed his testicles to him at a later date as well.

"But do the _curtains_ match the _drapes_?" someone vulgarly yelled, igniting roars of laughter and supporting comments.

A deeper blush crept to Kushina's cheeks as the one captor hooked a finger into the frilly waist of her scant, low-cut underwear.

"Don't," Kushina breathed between her teeth, closing her eyes and preparing for the ultimate vulnerability.

"Show us!"

"We want to know!"

"I _only_ want a matching pair!"

"Splendid idea!"

"Do it! Show us!"

"Repay the paying customers!"

Kushina tried to delve into her most intimate thoughts. Somewhere she had to find happiness in order to overcome this humiliation. Despite knowing how most women dreamed of such a physique, she still felt self-conscious being so vulnerable in front of the crowd. Her breasts heaved heavily against the restraining fabric of her sheer bra as her anger grew and her breathing deepened.

"Do _not _spoil my goods," came the purring, smooth voice as all heads turned toward the newcomer. He raised his panel, "What's the highest bid?"

The hidden auctioneer answered from overhead.

"I've seen more than enough," the man shrugged his shoulders, the move almost perfectly played, "I'll match that by double."

Gasps could be heard as he offered an exorbitant amount for the illustrious red-head standing before them. Murmurs reached Kushina's ears as she opened her eyes.

"ANYONE ELSE?" came the overhead voice. No one answered, and Kushina could see the newcomer's earlier competition throw his panel on the floor in anger.

"GOING ONCE..."

Not a sound.

"GOING TWICE..."

Complete silence.

"SOLD!"

Kushina was quickly pushed forward as her eyes followed her new owner. He quickly turned in a swirl of fabric, disappearing from the roomful of eager buyers. Kushina was pushed through a set of glass doors ahead of her, all masks turned toward her as a few more vulgar remarks were called out.

"Can you pull my robe up?" she growled as she walked forward, her hips swaying from the movement.

"S-Sure!" came the one captor's voice as he struggled to pull her robe over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she hissed, "Asshole."

She accepted that her robe would not entirely conceal her scant undergarments, but it was better than walking around in _just _her underwear. She was escorted into some sort of parlor, where the masked winner—her new owner—was awaiting her. She was led before him, and the two guides took a few steps in retreat, waiting as the victor inspected his purchase.

Kushina held her breath as he unexpectedly cupped her breast. She swallowed down the odd sensation that the man's hands on her breasts—no matter how unwelcome or rough it was—elicited. She could feel his thumb brush over her nipple, even over the thin, sheer fabric. She felt her ears grow hot and her legs wobble.

"Mmmm, I like them bigger," he mewed as he trailed the back of his forefinger over the tops of her breasts and under her robe.

His hands were soft, obviously not the hands of a hard-working citizen. This man had money, and he must be used to purchasing what he wanted. Kushina's scrutinizing thoughts were interrupted as the man's palms slid to her backside. She felt his hands roughly squeeze each buttock as he sized her up like he had her breasts. He forcefully pulled her against him, and Kushina could feel a hardness pressing against her abdomen. Her eyes grew wide at the sudden shock of what she was experiencing.

_Animal! _her inner voice seethed.

"Not bad, could be more firm," he murmured, his fingers caressing the small of her back, "But you take care of yourself. I commend you. Your physique is very desirable, as you can tell..."

"Thanks," Kushina replied to his innuendo and praise through gritted teeth.

Her cheeks burned as he slowly pushed her away by her shoulders. She hated the sensations his vile hands provoked as they stroked upward along the creamy skin of her abdomen and along her sides until they teased her collarbone. His fingers slid along her right clavicle and up her neck to her jaw, where he hooked his finger under, gently turning Kushina's head left and right. He rubbed his thumb over her lips. She fought the urge to curl them in discontent.

"You are injured, my sweet," the man silkily hummed, stroking the angry bruise on her neck. "Pray tell me who did this, so that I may exact a fitting punishment. Had I seen this earlier, I would have offered less."

Kushina heard the two men behind her shuffle, on raising his hands in defense, "It wasn't us! It must have been Hiro, he's always rough with the—"

"Enough," the masked buyer purred. "I will see to it."

"Yes, sir," the two men mumbled in unison.

The tall man's hands continued their journey, venturing to her hair, his fingers raking through her silky strands. He held the weight in his palm, staring at it for some time before slowly turning his wrist to watch her hair reflect the light. He leaned down, lifting his mask slightly to smell the scent of her hair. She could see the slight shadow of a beard on his chin. His lips curled into a delighted smile. Straight teeth.

"Delicious," he murmured, immediately replacing his mask. He nodded, and the two guards stepped forward.

"I'm going to pay my debt, you two know where to bring her."

"Yes, sir," the men replied together.

With a swirl of dark robes, the man floated away, the faint musky smell of the outdoors following him.

"Told ya he liked red heads," one man told the other as they undid Kushina's restraints, instead choosing to use a set of gem-encrusted bracelets joined by a few strands of fine, golden chains.

"Didn't he buy the one from earlier? The young one?" the other shot back.

"Yup," came the answer, as Kushina recognized who they were talking about: _Momo!_ Would she be waiting with this man's other purchases?

"He spent a lot of ryo today," the first replied wistfully. "Wish I had that much money."

"Don't we all," the other answered as Kushina watched him shake something in front of him. The next thing she knew, a darkness enshrouded her, closing out the world around her.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Kushina!" the girl threw her newly freed arms around Kushina.

"Momo," she replied, her expression serious as she looked around the expansive room, glad to have the constricting hood removed from her head.

There was only one bed, but it was so large that it could easily sleep six. There were curtains that could be drawn around its elegant mahogany posts. She felt the plush carpet under her toes, and she noticed the soft beige fabric that lined the floor. There were five large windows in the room, each covered with bars. Obviously, they weren't the first purchases this man has ever made. Kushina quietly wondered what had happened to the others. At the opposite end of the room was a large porcelain basin that was surrounded by ceramic steps. She could see the various bottles of bath salts and oils. The walls were littered in various paintings of women, each with hair one shade of red or another.

_So, _she thought, _he sure does like redheads. _

"At least I have you here with me!" Momo breathed a sigh of relief, smiling nervously.

"Don't count your blessings yet," Kushina murmured, slowly wandering around the room.

Her eyes fell on the two dresses on the bed. Her stomach turned as she noticed the daringly low necklines and high-cut slits. Next to them were carefully folded lingerie. She quickly averted her eyes to the ceiling, allowing them to wander. That was when she noticed two tiny objects at either end of the room.

_Cameras_!

So, they were truly in a prison, their every move to be monitored. They would have to tread lightly. Kushina wanted to get a closer look, to see if the tiny cameras were capable of recording sound. For now, she would assume they did, just to be safe.

"Shhh," Kushina raised a finger to her mouth. She used her eyes to indicate the cameras. The girl looked puzzled. "Don't look, but we are being observed, and I'm sure we can be heard."

"Oh. _Oh_," the girl whispered in return. She paled slightly, reaching out to grab onto a mahogany pole.

"Don't worry," Kushina put on a fake smile, "We're in this together. It can't be that bad, right? At least we have nice accommodations. I'm sure his Lordship will treat his pricey purchases with kindness."

"Right," Momo nodded in uncertainty.

"Well," Kushina pointed toward the dresses on the bed, "I suppose we should wash up...these dresses weren't put out to just sit around. Which one do you want?"

Kushina eyed the two dresses in disdain. One was a soft, minty green, with a canary yellow lace around the bust and hem. She silently hoped that Momo would take that dress. She was delighted when the girl willingly choose green, a smile lighting up her youthful face. Kushina was left with the marine blue sateen dress with the white ribbon at the waistline.

"It's like playing dress up, isn't it?" Momo smiled faintly at the delicate and expensive silken dress, her fingers playing with the lace. "You know, pretending to be someone else..."

"Yes," Kushina agreed carefully, doing her best to maintain an upbeat tone, "It's exactly like that, Momo."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Minato stormed into his rented room, furiously throwing his mask against the wall. He quickly followed it with a kunai—the weapon piercing the string that held the porcelain visor to his face. It dangled from its place, the slitted, empty eyes staring back at him from where it hung on the wall.

Next was the robe.

"Stupid scratchy piece of shit!" he hissed to himself as he tore it off, leaving it on the floor where it lay.

He ran his hand through his hair, it was in disarray. He was sure he looked like a wild man, but he didn't care, there were other concerns occupying his thoughts. He had been slowly working to infiltrate this trafficking ring for months, carefully creating an alias for himself, complete with false connections of promise. It was only in the past two weeks that his bait had been taken, allowing him to discover the ring's location. It was underground work, and he had been astutely careful to play the part.

He hadn't known that the village—more specifically, the Hokage—had decided to send more shinobi. He had been careful in his correspondence with Hiruzen, entailing the goings-on of the ever-growing trafficking circle. He had been critically cognizant, noting the tall man who purchased specific girls with specific qualities, namely red-haired women. He hadn't intended for Hiruzen to take advantage of that fact, nor had he thought anything of it when sharing this with the kage. But, most of all, he definitely didn't expect the Hokage to send Uzumaki Kushina into the crossfire.

Minato thought it was a very poor decision on Hiruzen's part, most likely a decision based on the pressures of the self-absorbed village elders. They were worried about pomp and circumstance, and not so much about the kidnapped womens' safety. It was a thought that made Minato ill to his stomach, and now..._now_ that Kushina was obviously involved for such blatant reasons, he felt the distinct urge to empty his stomach. He was such a fool!

"How could you, Hiruzen? She's like a daughter to you, you _know _what danger she is facing!" he growled, cracking his knuckles as he paced the tiny inn room.

He shuddered as he thought about the rich man's intent in purchasing Kushina and the other girl. Minato had done his best to offer the highest bid for Kushina in hopes of saving her from whatever horrors would be planned for her. But, in the end, he did not have the funds to back up the price that was needed to come out the victor. The only money he had at the moment was his own scant savings.

_And what did you think she would do if you won? Reward you with kisses? _the soft voice of his consciousness teased him.

"No," he sighed aloud.

_She is a very able shinobi and you know that! She is aware of what is expected of her and is prepared to risk that. _It was his more rational side speaking to him, now.

His stomach sank as he realized the truth in his silent arguments. Uzumaki Kushina was a kunoichi, first and foremost. Women ninja had been trained to offer their bodies for the sake of a mission; for the sake of the village. Besides, why was he suddenly concerned about Kushina's desire to offer her body to a stranger? He hadn't any idea as to whether she had done so before this particular mission, and, frankly, it was none of his business.

So, why was he so _disturbed _by her sudden appearance?

He thought about how brave she looked, being thrown to the crowd in such an obvious state. Minato could barely contain his emotions as her robe was ripped from her waist, revealing her in such a way that he had never thought possible. His cheeks burned at the inappropriate thoughts that had passed through his head, some of them echoing the vulgar sentiments of his pretend colleagues. He was, after all, a man. And she, she was a beautiful, desirable woman. The vision of her breasts through the sheer black bra would haunt his dreams for weeks. He could still remember the soft curve of her abdomen and the creamy flesh of her thighs contrasted by the deep red lingerie bottoms.

_Though, doesn't a man sleep with his dates_? his inner-self chided in reminder. _Hadn't she been desirable as well? _

Minato stopped pacing as his thoughts went back to his date from the a few weeks back—the one Kushina has so unwillingly interrupted, much to Minato's surprise. The woman, Aiko, was only a distraction. She was just someone to spend the night with who would take his mind off of the feelings he had been trying to purge after all these years. It had been months since he had seen Kushina. Months since he forced himself to stay away from the ramen bar, where he would inevitably run into her.

Sure, paying for her had raised his hopes. But, after a few weeks, he realized that Kushina didn't see it that way. To her, it was payback. He had spent the past few years making up for the horrible way he treated her during their childhood, though he could barely recall the event. In doing so, he had grown closer to the fiery kunoichi, finding that his childish attraction had grown into a deeper attachment. Sure, she was still just as smart-mouthed and chatty as she was during their childhood, but she shone with such a vivid light of hope that he couldn't help wanting to be around her. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to see her, touch her, taste her. Namikaze Minato was hopelessly smitten with the romantically challenged red-head.

He had known she was dating Ken. Sure he had known that! He had attempted to use that knowledge to quash any of his former attachments. Still, it didn't help as he only found her more desirable. Their correspondence had started off as a few momentary chats outside the ramen stand, quickly turning into accidental meetings until Minato found himself making a daily routine of seeing her there. He depended on that high to get him through the grueling days.

He tried to date to take his mind off of things. Jiraiya had recommended it, being responsible for choosing the most recent date, Aiko. Minato should have known, based on the open vulgarity of the woman. She was cute, yes, but not what Minato was looking for. She had eyes only for the blonde-haired jonin, caressing his leg from under the table, teasing his thigh with nimble fingers. His discomfort was misconstrued as interest, and the girl quickly asked him to escort her home. He only had intentions of doing just that, until she fiercely pushed herself onto him. He had tried to pry her fingers from his neck, only allowing her the advantage of pulling him into her apartment and ripping his shirt out of his pants while pulling the clasp open on his pants.

It was the only time Minato had been thankful for Ken's interference. He had saved Minato from his own inner awkwardness. Despite having a plethora of obvious admirers, Namikaze Minato was not what Jiraiya would call a "ladies' man". In fact, the only woman he could talk to with ease was a certain hot-tempered red head...

His mind raced as he thought about what Kushina was doing at that moment. She was quickly taken away, and he hadn't been able to track her or tag her. The sudden protectiveness he felt for the woman was gnawing at his insides. He quickly found is way to the bathroom, splashing water on his face.

"Get a grip, Minato!" he growled as he wiped his face with a stiff towel. He looked into the bright blue eyes staring back at him.

_What next? _

He quickly found his flack jacket, pulling the two-way scroll from his pocket. He angrily began writing Hiruzen, demanding an explanation. Perhaps this would calm him; allow him a more rational train of thought. He could be openly candid with the man who was training him for the very same office.

He knew that the man who purchased Kushina and the other girl was the person responsible for running this entire debacle. It was why he got the pick of the litter, as the bidder next to Minato had grumbled earlier. _He _was the one Konoha was after, and _he _was the one Kushina was targeting. But, what was her role in all of this? Was she to seduce him, using her womanly wiles to render him a prisoner? Minato had a bad feeling about the man, though he couldn't quite place his finger on it. It wasn't that he didn't think Kushina incapable—because he knew she was a formidable opponent. It was...something else. Perhaps the fact that he never once saw one of the man's purchases again was what was causing him to panic.

_A shinobi never compromises a mission_, it was a general tenet of the ninja world. Kushina would abide by that law, most definitely. But, at what costs? Minato did not have the answer. He stared blankly at the scroll, awaiting Hiruzen's reply. His fingers trembled as he thought of the possible scenarios Kushina was experiencing at that moment. Was she in bed with the man, returning his desires and whispering words of seduction in his ear? Was he getting to touch the flawless flesh that Minato found himself desiring?

_Admit it, you're jealous_, the inner voice taunted in triumph.

Minato groaned, leaning forward and dropping his head into his hands. He silently prayed that ANBU would soon receive the word that the man has been apprehended. The plan was to have another shinobi staking out here—one whose name had left Minato at the moment—disguising himself as the masked ringleader. He knew that the assigned ninja was quite adept at voice copying as well as transformation jutsu. They only needed to provide the opportunity for the ultimate coup d'etat.

_You have feelings for her. Just say it, Namikaze! You lust after the girl_. _You want her. _

He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the inappropriate thoughts away. This was not the time for him to dwell on his emotions and attachments. He had a mission he needed to accomplish without any outside biases. He was under the direct command of the Hokage and currently awaiting Hiruzen's orders.

He looked at the clock. It had been nearly eight hours since he left the auction, subsequently meeting with the few other posted ANBU and jonin. Jin had only shared some information on the Hokage's orders—very little of which he knew. The day's sunlight was dwindling outside, and darkness would soon be upon the restless village. He would give Hiruzen two more hours. That was all he could bear knowing his suspicions of the target. He had a terrible feeling about that man, as if the latter could perform unspeakable horrors if he so desired.

_Two hours._ After two more hours, he would seek her out.

He _would_ find her.

Not even ANBU or the Hokage would be able to stop him.


	23. Picture Perfect

**A/N: Forgive me for my absence! Rotations have been stealing my soul. I'm back and writing away. Hopefully that'll be the last time I'm sabotaged by school. Pssssh. Anywho, here's the next chapter. Darkfic begins! Enjoy and let me know what you think, as always. Much love to readers/reviewers/newbies to the fic :D  
**

_Starscream_: I wish you had an account so I could properly thank you for your review! And, please have faith that I won't go and fudge my story by cliche-ing it (not a word, I know). Goes for you too, _Coolsteel_ ;) Thanks to both of you!

_KayloMaylo & M-R: I heart you two.  
_

**I think at this point, I've thrown 'cliche' out the window (i hate that word, FYI). I think that there is always cliche in everything, though I try to be as original as possible. It's easy to just have Minato swoop in and steal the scene. Seriously. With the writer's block my rotation is giving me, I honestly thought about it. But, with as much support as you all give me, I owe it to you to take longer and be creative, no? **

**PS: I apologize for not responding to the last chapter. See above. I'll try to catch up. Don't think I don't thank each of you for your kind words. I do!  
**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto. Takin' credit for OC's and general awesomeness ;)**  
**

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina paced the expansive room, shooting unobtrusive looks at the cameras perched at the ceiling corners. The only place she did not find a camera was the tiny toilet room, and she was thankful for that fact. Momo had been gone for quite some time, and Kushina was tired of wearing the stuffy dress that had been provided. She had ripped it off hours ago, now storming around in a soft, cottony robe that she had found in the large cupboard closet. It had been hours since the servant had entered the bedchambers, calling on Momo and telling Kushina that she was not summoned and would have to await her turn.

Her _turn_.

Kushina shuddered at the meaning behind that phrase. She had been disturbed at the fact that the man who purchased them had requested to see the young girl alone. She silently prayed that Momoko did not have to give herself to this man. Would he be that cruel? She was only a girl! Bile rose in Kushina's throat as her mind wandered over the many possible scenarios.

_Calm yourself, you are not here for that! _she warned herself.

This was a mission, and she was not to worry herself with civilian lives. But, yet, she couldn't allow an innocent girl to be victimized. Not like this. It was inhumane! Momoko was a _girl_.

The door softly clicked open behind her, and the sound of feet prancing over the wooden floor caught Kushina off guard.

"Kushina!" Momo called as she danced into the room, her cheeks flushed and eyes shining.

Kushina whirled around, her eyes wide as she looked over the girl, her hands on either shoulder, "Momoko! Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"Oh no!" Momo sang, her eyes bright, "He was a perfect gentleman, Kushina!"

Kushina's eyes flickered over the hired help, who remained silent as he spread a deep purple dress over the bed. She had noticed the fabric draped over his arm when he entered the room.

"Miss?" the young man called out, his voice crisp, "Your dress, as you had been promised." With a curt bow, he removed himself from the room.

The door locked behind him and Kushina raised an eyebrow in question, "Dress? Promised?"

"Kushina!" the girl smiled radiantly, her chest heaving as she rested a palm against the bosom of her low-cut dress, "He has promised to send me back to my parents!"

Kushina's mouth fell open; she had not expected that. Was this man perhaps not the tyrant he had been made out to be? she quietly wondered. It was possible that he was a spy as well...

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Momo, surely you don't believe he'll just let you go, that easily?"

"I do!" her clover eyes showed her innocence. "He told me during tea that all he wanted from me was to paint a picture! He said if I sit and allow him to do so, he will make sure I make it home safely!"

The hair on Kushina's neck stood up as something inside of her screamed for her to be on guard. Her voice was low, barely more than a whisper, "I...I don't know if you should trust him."

How could they trust someone who_ purchased_ them? And the way he so intimately touched her at the arena, no less! Something about him was very, very dangerous, she knew. Momo seemed taken aback by Kushina's earlier warning, her face pale as her mouth fell open. She looked as if she had been slapped in the face, her hopes and dreams crushed and washed away. She silently turned on foot and marched over to the dress, her hair obscuring her face and her posture rigid.

"I do trust him," the young girl whispered, picking up the dress and holding it against her curvy figure. "I may be a kid to you, but I think he's being honest. He was so nice to me. How could he lie?"

When she looked at Kushina, her eyes were shining with tears. Kushina immediately felt horrible for what she had said, though deep down, she knew that her own intuition was the more likely outcome. Momoko had come from a loving, sheltered life, and did not know the terrors of war and evil. She would easily trust this man's words, and Kushina was the bad person for saying otherwise. If something terrible was to happen, would she have the courage to go against everything she had trained for to prevent it? It would ruin her entire mission, possibly risking the lives of of hundreds of others. It was a horrible feeling, and the kunoichi was torn.

"If you say so," Kushina tried her best to smile, but fell short.

"You don't know him!" Momo's voice was growing more shrill as she stared accusingly at Kushina.

The kunoichi was shocked as she studied the girl's reaction. It was as if Momo had fathomed herself in love with this "gentleman". And from just one meeting, no less! Kushina was sure that he had wooed the girl and built her esteem and trust during such an intimate moment, handing away promises of returning Momo to her home and into the loving arms of her parents.

She sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Look, Momo, I'm sorry. All I'm saying is to be careful," she glanced up at the cameras, "You don't know what he may truly want."

Momo said nothing for some time, instead undressing and slowly slipping into the silky violet material. She played with her hair, hastily holding it to the crown of her head. She smiled at herself in the mirror, even twirling to see the back of her dress.

"Could you button the back of this?" she asked, gathering her hair and holding it above the nape of her neck.

Kushina said nothing, slowly buttoning the material with nimble hands. Momo turned around, her eyes bright, yet filled with naivety. "The only thing I want right now is to go home. If he promised me that, then what else do I have to hope for?"

Kushina smiled weakly, "You are right. I'm sorry."

Momo reached out and patted her hand, "It's alright! Besides, I'm going to request that you get to go home too! You can come to my home, my parents would love to meet any friend of mine!"

With one last smile of giddiness, the young girl reached over and rang the tiny bell on the night stand next to the four-poster bed. The door quickly unlocked and the servant from earlier entered the room.

He bowed, his posture perfect, "You are ready, miss?"

"I am," Momo nodded, winking at Kushina. She turned to follow the dark-haired man from the room, casting one last glowing smile at Kushina, "See you soon!"

With that, she flounced from the room with childish glee, leaving a worried Kushina to stare at the closed door, chewing her lip until it bled. She, too, could only hope that Momoko was right.

For the girl's own sake.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Namikaze!_ Dammit!" _

Minato sat upright, rubbing his eyes. He blinked, realizing the darkness surrounding him. He had fallen asleep, though he wasn't sure how that was possible. He could hear the static hissing from his ear piece, and he reached over, bleary-eyed and sore, picking up the tiny ear bud and microphone.

"Yeah...I'm here," he rasped into the receptor. How had he managed to fall asleep?

"We've been trying to get a hold of you for nearly ten minutes! What the hell were you doing?" came the scathing reply.

"Er...I must have fallen asleep-"

"Well, nevermind, we found something..." the voice trailed off, and Minato's heart began to race. Did he sleep too long? Was this about Kushina? Did something happen? He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he had allowed any harm to come to her.

"What is it?" his voice nearly pleaded across the air waves.

"Just meet us at the inn around the corner, we'll go from there. Out," came the reply.

Minato quickly switched on the tiny lamp, fumbling around for what he needed. He glanced at the scroll on the table, the one he had so furiously written on, hours earlier. Hours.

_Shit! It's been nearly four hours! _he reprimanded himself. There was nothing he could do about it now. Kushina could hold her own. He hoped.

He pushed the scroll open, disappointed to find only one sentence, "The mission will continue as I have instructed; I have no doubts in your judgment."

_No doubts in my judgment? _Minato repeated in his head. What did that mean? Why did Hiruzen not respond more harshly? Minato had not exactly been kind in his original correspondence. What was going on? Was the Hokage trying to convey something to him?

"Shit!" Minato growled again, rolling the scroll and shoving it under the mattress of his bed before leaving for the inn.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"That was some nap," Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Minato muttered, rubbing is aching neck.

"We nearly sent someone up there to check on you, thought you'd been assassinated," came Inoichi's amused voice.

"Like that'd be easy against our Yellow Flash!" someone else joked. A few chuckles skimmed through the tiny gathering.

Minato's bright blue eyes grew dark as he looked at Jin, "What did you want to show me?"

Jin's smile faded and he shot a glance at Inoichi, who nodded, "Inuzuka found something. Er, I need to warn you-"

"What is it?" Minato nearly barked, feeling on edge.

"Follow me," Jin replied as they continued walking, their posture not betraying the imminent nature of his correspondence.

The group split up, a handful each going in different directions though their destination was the same. As soon as they were safely out of sight, Minato and Jin broke into a run. Forest quickly gave way to a stream, which soon became a river. The duo found themselves at the mouth of a giant cave. Thuds quickly told Minato that their companions had caught up, and his attention was drawn back to the cave. He wordlessly waited for Jin's explanation. The man offered none, his own face pale as his jaw clenched. Footsteps echoed as the figure exited the cave, her hands shoved in her pockets and the wolf-sized canine beside her glaring angrily ahead with his unpatched eye.

"Tsume," Minato nodded, his voice low.

"Namikaze," she scoffed, "Shoulda known you'd be here."

Minato said nothing, awaiting an explanation. Any explanation. Jin finally spoke, "Inuzuka, lead us to what you found."

"Right!" her expressions turned serious, a sharp incisor chewing on her lower lip. She glanced at her companion, "Kuromaru."

The dog quickly spun, returning into the darkness of the cave. The group followed, Minato unsure of what they would find. The tunnel curved, leading to a dead end where a sudden, unbearable smell overwhelmed them. Tsume's face showed her own heightened perception of the rancid odor. Minato gagged at the smell, though he knew all too well what it was.

Rotting flesh.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, trying to hold back his building urge to empty his stomach.

"Look closer," Jin indicated, pointing with one hand as his other was plugged under his nostrils.

Minato squinted through the tears, his gag reflex instantly stifled by what he saw: bright red strands of hair! His eyes grew wide as the terror momentarily took over, he leaned over and retched. He had been too late!

He felt a hand thump his back, "Get a hold of yourself, man!"

Minato's head snapped up to see Tsume kneeling down and meeting his gaze. Her irises were slitted, giving her a more wild look. He saw the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Wha-" he choked out.

Tsume stood up, shooting him one last knowing look as she glanced around at the shinobi, "These bodies have been here for variable amounts of times. From the smell, as well as the maggots growin' on them, the most recent body was dumped 'bout two days ago."

Minato looked up quickly, catching Tsume's slight nod. She knew what he had been thinking? He felt his body slacken. That means that there was no way Kushina was one of the casualties. He let his eyes wander over the rotting flesh. The bodies were not recognizable, not even the most recent ones. Bone glistened under the melted skin, teeth were scattered about as were a few other hunks of body parts—most likely a result of some scavening animal. But, what stood out the most was the clumps of auburn hair.

"So we've found what this bastard is doing to his victims?" Minato wiped his mouth, finding the strength to stand upright.

"Well, we don't know _exactly_," Tsume answered cautiously, "I'm not looking close enough to find out what's been done to these bodies. Maybe Yamanaka could-"

"That's out of the question!" Inoichi answered angrily. "With the state these bodies are in, there is nothing I could do!"

"Then it's settled," Minato growled, his own anger growing.

"Huh?" Tsume's jaw dropped. "What're ya sayin', Namikaze?"

Minato looked around, "It seems that there is something much darker and more dangerous going on here. We have to stop the target now, before-"

"Before he hurts Uzumaki?" Inoichi interrupted.

Blue eyes flashed their anger and challenge, "It is up to you if you wish to let a fellow shinobi risk a similar fate, Inoichi." He waved a hand toward the pile of flesh and bones. The blonde man grimaced slightly.

Minato continued, "I'm not even sure if our Hokage was aware of such hideous crimes, but I'm sure he would not want us to allow this behavior to continue. The fact is, if we do not stop this now, the trafficking will continue, and more lives will be lost. I say we put an end to this, tonight. Now."

"Spoken like a true future Hokage," Jin closed his eyes, his expression serious. "I, for one, do not disagree. We can still have Yoshito work undercover, but we will have a clean consciousnesses knowing that we've prevented the slaughter of any more innocent women."

"From this man's hand, anyhow," Tsume growled.

"Right," Minato agreed, looking around the tiny band of shinobi, his eyes shining, "With Yoshito under our target's guise, we can infiltrate the inner workings of this circle, and gather the information we need using Yamanaka-san's skill. With that done, we will await the Hokage's approval to shut this operation down."

Inoichi said nothing, visibly surprised by the rare praise offered by Minato. He took a deep breath, his former reservations suddenly moot, "I was out of line, and for that, I apologize. I will follow your orders without question as a member of the Interrogation Squad working under your command."

"No need to apologize," Minato offered, though he was still slightly angry at Inoichi's earlier interruption. "You are a valuable asset, and therefore crucial to this mission. I have no doubt in your abilities."

Inoichi bowed his head, surprised by the continuing praise. Jin offered a small grin, knowing all too well Minato's ruthlessness. The young prodigy was not a person to be trifled with, and his wrath was fearsome.

"What do you suggest, Namikaze-san?" Jin asked, as Tsume paced anxiously, her eyes on Minato as well. He had a sneaking suspicion that she was more worried about Kushina than she let on.

"I think we need to evaluate just what we are facing," he glanced at the few shinobi who had been staking out near the mansion for the past couple of weeks. They nodded their understanding. "And then we will compose a plan of attack. I know that there are two women recently purchased by our target. Yes, Kushina was one of them, though under the direct command of the Hokage. His intentions I do not know, and he did not share them."

Confused looks were passed around.

"What the hell?" Tsume cursed under her breath.

Minato raised a hand, "But I feel as if he was not entirely aware of the danger he had put her in. There is a younger girl with her as well, so we now have two persons that we need to be wary of. Despite the fact that our target is a civilian, I have a feeling that this is not going to be as easy an operation as we had earlier anticipated. I need your full cooperation on this mission. Without it, we may be risking Kushina's life as well as the other girl's."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Hours had passed, and Kushina was growing increasingly restless. Momo had been gone for far too long, and Kushina was beginning to grow fearful. She laid in the soft velvety bed, staring at the ceiling as the candle sconces flickered and hissed from around the room. The sunlight had long ago disappeared, and she had no idea what time it truly was. She was just beginning to drift off to sleep, her eyes growing heavy from the long days of travel and lack of rest when the door softly clicked open. She listened to the footsteps as they approached the bed, and she lazily turned her head, reminding herself that she was now a civilian, despite her urge to snap this man's neck and run through the open door behind him. He cleared his throat, awaiting her acknowledgment.

"Yes?" Kushina asked, "How is Momo's portrait coming along?"

The man bowed, his chestnut hair falling into his deep gray eyes, "She is delighted by the portrait, miss."

Kushina didn't believe him. She had no reason to. The lump in her throat grew larger as her mouth was suddenly dry, "What do you want?"

"I brought you something—a gift from my master, ma'am," the billowy fabric was draped over his forearm. It was a deep azure color, beautiful and shimmery.

"Hmmph," Kushina murmured.

"He would like you to dine with him," the dress was quickly hung in the closet, "whilst wearing this...gift."

She sat up on the bed, her eyes narrowed, "When can I expect Momoko to return?"

"To return?" the man repeated, his eyes showing his confusion, "Oh no, my lady, she has been released from my master's care. She should be on her way to her parents' waiting arms as we speak."

"Truly?" Kushina asked, unsure of what to make of this confession.

"Yes, my master is benevolent, and he keeps his promises," the man bowed one last time, before turning to leave the room. Before quickly striding from the room, he quickly added, "Please ring the bell when you are ready to dine, ma'am."

She listened to the door locking, her mouth slightly ajar as her eyes trailed after him. She didn't know what to make of the young man's confession. She thought back to the unscrupulous way her buyer had grotesquely groped her like an animal after the auction. Benevolent? She thought not.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina quickly committed the various rooms and stairways to memory as she glided through the main entry hall in the dress she had been given. It was a light fabric, much more comfortable than she had first thought. She had to admit, nothing this elegant had ever touched her skin. It was unlike anything she had ever seen in her life, far more illustrious than what she could find in Konoha. The dress fit her well, and she wondered how her size had been anticipated so. It was as if the dress were custom made just for her. It was low cut, swooping over her bust, with two cap-sleeves that nearly covered her slender shoulders. The fabric was ruched to one side over her waist, falling softly to the ground and shimmering with her every movement. She was not wearing shoes, as she was not afforded that luxury. Despite the glamorous attire, she had been forced to don a new set of wrist cuffs. They were unlike what she had worn at the auction house, being lighter than the clunky coppers ones. These were a shiny silver, the cuffs connected to each other by a thin chain. She could, at least, move her arms more freely than before, though the she as unsure of the purpose of having to still don them.

She looked around at the framed artworks on the wall. Bold oranges and reds were prominent in each picture, though she couldn't make out the finer details of the paintings. She noticed that each subject was the same: female with pale skin and red hair.

Like her.

Like Momo.

She could smell fresh paint as she was escorted past the end of a long row of pictures. A cover shielded the last piece of art from her view, and she could see a tiny nail protruding from the wall next to the hanging frame. She wondered where that picture was, and why the one before it was shielded from her eyes.

The smell of food made her mouth suddenly water, and Kushina realized she was far more hungry than she had anticipated. She blinked at the bright lighting of the expansive hall, her eyes on the small, intimate table intricately decorated and two dishes of food and two goblets. The chairs were across from one another, not that much aside from the table separated the two seats. She realized that someone was sitting in one of the chairs.

_Him_!

She felt the bile rise in her throat when she remembered her earlier encounter with this man. He cleared his throat, the chair sliding on the floor as he stood, nodding at the hired help behind Kushina.

"As you wish," came the smooth reply from behind her, "Enjoy."

With that, the servant's feet could be heard tapping on the floor as he scurried down the hall they had just proceeded through. Kushina licked her lips, torn between her duty and her needs. Her stomach growled.

"Beautiful, simply stunning!" came the tenor of the man's voice, his raven-colored hair short as he looked over Kushina with hungry eyes. He, too, licked his lips, but for different reasons.

Kushina nodded politely, switching on her training. She said nothing as he pointed to a chair. She quickly seated herself, and he pushed the chair beneath her. He ran his hands along her nearly bare shoulders. His touch made her want to vomit, but she couldn't deny the sensations that coursed through her from the gentle sweep of his fingertips. She could feel the callouses on his hands. His fingers lingered on her shoulders.

She held up her wrists, "Are these really necessary?"

"Ah," the man replied, as he seated himself across from her, his eyes on her chest before he returned her gaze, "Yes, those are...needed. If you prove you can behave, I'll consider removing them." He smiled, revealing the slight crookedness of his lower teeth.

Kushina returned the gesture, "And what do I have to do to prove myself?"

He was picking at the bread in front of him, nodding toward the plate in front of Kushina, "Help yourself, we can discuss details while eating, can we not?"

"But of course," Kushina raised an eyebrow.

The man picked up his glass, raising it in a mock toast, waiting expectantly. Kushina did the same, bringing the glass to her lips. The slightly acidic smell of the liquid teased her nostrils, and her instincts told her to refrain from drinking the beverage. She allowed it to reach her lips, pretending to sip before returning the cup to the table. She could sense him carefully watching her as she did so, confirming her suspicions. She would have to tread carefully if she were going to take this man prisoner. She had a feeling that she was approaching the opportunity, as long as she did not err. First, though, she wanted to assure Momo's safety. Then she would complete her mission, as well as somehow occupy the man servant while she did so. The servant, however, may be a necessary casualty, she considered.

"You are too kind," Kushina smiled sweetly, leaning forward more so that he could get a better look down the front of her dress. The move disgusted her, but she knew that it was to her advantage. "I have a question, if I may."

"Yes?" he purred his eyes trailing up to her face as he carefully cut his food. Kushina noticed her own lack of cutlery.

"There was another girl, Momoko-"

"She has been returned," he added, his expression growing dark before quickly dissipating.

"Returned?" Kushina pressed.

"Yes, did she not tell you of my gift?" the man asked, chewing thoughtfully.

"She did, and," Kushina nodded, trying her best not to shovel the warm noodles into her mouth, despite her ravenous hunger, "I was hesitant to believe that, I must admit."

"And why is that?" he waited expectantly.

"Why else would you purchase women in such a manner?" Kushina tried to pose her question as innocently as possible.

"Ah," the man dabbed his chin, his eyes glazing over momentarily. "I have not truly introduced my reasons, have I?"

"You have not," Kushina smiled as she chewed her own food, dabbing her lips with a napkin and blushing.

"I am an artist, and I love to collect...art," he mused, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers and watching her through thick lashes.

"Art?" Kushina echoed innocently.

The man nodded, "I can't fathom the idea of such beautiful examples of womanhood being sold into..._slavery_. Treacherous!" His face puckered as he spoke, quickly softening, "So, I save them."

"How chivalrous," Kushina smiled sweetly.

"I do what I can," the man's gaze was once again unfocused as he stared past her. Kushina had the urge to look over her shoulder.

"So, you are saying that you have saved me from a horrible fate? You _are _my savior," she playfully teased, "But what promises will you make _me_?"

He blinked, his gaze fixing on her face, then tracing along her neck, "Why, whatever you may desire. But, of course my services do not go without a fee."

His eyes hungrily shifted over her body as his smile became wolfish. Kushina felt uncomfortable at where this conversation was going, but she maintained her composure.

"And if I tell you I want my freedom, what would I have to offer as payment?"

She straightened her shoulders, allowing her bosom to press against the tight fabric. She blinked, batting her eyelashes softly, a coy smile on her face. This time, the man stood, smiling as he walked around behind her, his fingers trailing over her collarbone as he hooked a forefinger under her chin. Her face was pulled upward so that their gazes met. His eyes flashed his desire as she felt his physical response on the small of her back.

"I think you know what I want," he whispered, his expression void of emotion and his breathing deepening.

Kushina knew that she was treading on dangerous territory, but she ventured forth anyhow. She smiled, leaning back into him, arching her back enticingly. She could hear his breath hitch in response.

Her voice was a soft purr while her inner self screamed its disgust, "I think I owe you for saving me, and I'm sure I can repay you for that favor."

He did not respond as she had anticipated, his voice suddenly becoming almost childish as his eyes lit up like he had just received a birthday present, "Would you like to see my art?"

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

He led Kushina down the hall, excitedly showing her each painting while stepping back and awaiting her reaction. At first, he tentatively hooked his arm in hers, but as his elation grew, his hand had found her wrist, and he was now practically dragging her behind him. Each painting was the same: a red-haired woman as the center of the painter's universe. The hair color often varied, from apple red to deep chestnut auburn, but the subject was undeniably like Kushina and Momoko. The rest of the colors were bland in comparison, and each subject—a woman—shone like a light in the midst of whatever dark and dreary scene surrounded her.

Kushina had taken notice to the increasingly violent theme underlying each painting from before. The first handful were wistful and mysterious, but as she was dragged down the hall, as each new painting was pointed out, she could sense the dramatic, almost frantic darkness in each new painting. There was nudity—at first chaste—but the scenes grew move vivid, some even broaching suggestions of rape. Calm expressions became frightened, and innocent beauty turned into lustful homicide. A lump formed in Kushina's throat as she pretended to find each piece of art exhilarating,formulating false praise in each painting. She could see the smile and excitement of her captor build with each smile of her own. She could sense his increased fervor and see his growing excitement, physically. Part of it sickened her to be promoting this behavior, but another part of her knew that it bought her time to study her target, allowing her to understand what distracts him.

Premonition was clawing at her insides, screaming for her to realize that something was terribly wrong with this scenario. Kushina pushed down the rising feeling, telling herself that she must continue her charade. She must bide her time until the moment was perfect to take him down. Her hands were still chained, and she knew that she was limited in her abilities while being restrained. The negative part of such a mission is that it was impossible to carry any weapon on her. She felt naked without her blades, but she knew how to handle herself, regardless. Her bare hands were more than enough.

When the time was right...

"Do you like my art, my lovely?" he hummed, smiling at the last one in line.

"Oh?" Kushina's thoughts were interrupted, "Why do you choose subjects with the same trait?"

"Same trait?" he repeated, stroking his chin, his brow furrowed.

"The hair is always the same: red," she pointed out, allowing her own to spill over her shoulders. She saw his eyes follow the movement, and something told her that the man had some obsession with the color red. But what that was, she did not know.

He reached out to touch her hair, shrugging slightly. His voice was soft as he spoke, and Kushina almost did not hear him, "My titian."

"Titian?" she pressed.

He blinked, sighing softly as a smile spread across his thin lips, "Titian is your hair color, did you not know it? It is such a rare trait. Beautiful red...titian."

_Yep, definitely has a thing for red-heads. Gramps was right! _She told herself, her heart racing. His tone was giving her insight into something else...something deeper.

His eyes were nearly wild as they danced over his paintings. His fingers were tugging at strands of Kushina's locks, and the movement was becoming more painful. It was as if he were forgetting what he had been telling her.

"You like red?" she asked, hoping to bring him back to whatever reality he was deviating from.

"Oh," he shrugged, his gaze focused once again, "I think it's a splendid medium to work with. It brightens the whole painting, don't you think?" He absently traced his fingers down her arm, "It complements such pale skin. Like a ghost..."

His words were starting to bother her, and she was furiously thinking of something to take his mind off of where it was going. Her eyes fell on the draped painting.

"Is that one...new?" she asked, skipping away, her chains tinkling as she held up her hand and pointed to the picture.

"It is," he nodded, quickly putting himself between her and the painting. Her fingers fell short of being able to reveal the picture.

She pouted, "And you won't show it to me?"

"Oh no" he shook his head. "It is not ready to be revealed."

"And why not? You so proudly display the others ones," she pointed out.

He bit his lip, "I don't think...it is a bit more dark than my other genres."

"Dark?" she laughed, "That can hardly scare me!"

His eyes widened as if he were surprised at her sudden candor. Kushina took advantage of the moment, "And yet, there is another nail, where is that painting?"

His eyes studied her face as if he did not know whether to believe her. "It is...for my next painting."

"You have completed it?"

He shook his head, "No...it's a work...in progress."

Her stomach sank as his eyes dropped down her body before slowly moving back up. She suddenly understood: it was for _her _picture.

"You wish for me to sit for your painting?" she laughed haughtily.

"You would not?" he nearly cried.

"I'd do whatever you desired," she smiled ruefully. She had a sinking feeling that wherever Momo was, it wasn't anywhere near her parents' home. He studied her for a few moments through narrowed eyes, and Kushina could feel her heart beating. Did he believe her? Would he fall for it?

"You...are serious?"

"Oh, I'm very serious," she whispered, edging closer.

With ease, she suddenly lifted her hands, grasping his neck. His eyes grew wide with surprise as she closed the space between them, her deep blue eyes falling to his lips. She could smell his breath as well as his skin. It was unfamiliar and she found it very undesirable. She had never been so flirtatious with anyone in her entire life, and she couldn't deny that the empowerment was enthralling. Her heart raced as she felt his hands roughly grab her waist, his fingers clenching at the fabric and his eyes darting to peer down the front of her dress. She inwardly cringed as his right hand roamed up to her breast, softly brushing over it as his fingers hooked over the top of her dress. She knew his next move, anticipating it and pressing her lips against his. He did not immediately respond, his mouth unsure. It only took him a few seconds to realize what was happening, and he reacted as any virile young man would. Kushina could feel the familiar swell against her hip bone, and she pressed into him. He groaned into her mouth as his hands violently pulled her against him. He forced his tongue into her mouth, and she nearly retched at the sloppy kiss. His tongue and lips tasted bitter, smelling of something familiar. She forced her mind to dwell elsewhere. She wished she were kissing anyone else...she suddenly envisioned blonde hair and blue eyes.

Kushina gasped, and her target misunderstood her reaction as fervor. His hand forcefully found the slit of her dress, pulling roughly at it and tearing it up her thigh. His hand hungrily roamed over the lacy lingerie she had been wearing since the beginning of her captivity. Her eyes fluttered open in time to see the man's shoulder brush the drape over the drying painting. The royal purple cover fluttered to the ground, revealing the painting underneath.

For the second time, Kushina gasped. This time, she pulled away from the man, her eyes wide as they stared at the girl in the picture. She quickly lifted her arms, pulling up the dress to cover her bare breast.

"Y-You..." her voice shook as she stared at the picture, unable to tear her eyes from it.

The man looked startled, his eyes heavy with desire. He slowly turned to see his painting, no longer covered. Recognition passed over his features. He straightened his jacket, turning his head at an odd angle and cracking his cervical vertebrae as an ugly smile spread across his face.

When he finally spoke, his voice was stony an his eyes accusing, "I was hoping you wouldn't see that one."


	24. The Deception

**A/N: quick enough, I hope! Am I doing justice to our favorite pair (OK, _my _favorite pair)? Enjoy and have a good weekend! Please RxR, as it made me work faster last time ;) A giant thank you to everyone who responded to the last chapter. I enjoyed my Queen of Suspense title! As you all can see, the picture has been revealed! **

**PS: I changed the _rating_! So, make sure you make note of that. My last chapter was a bit risque (eh).  
**

_KaliAnn: _the book you are thinking of is most likely Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray. I only know this because I just read it :)

_Coolsteel_: what do you think? I have been brainstorming a unique way to do this.

_Disclaimer: do not own Naruto. _

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"I was hoping you wouldn't see that one," he replied stonily, his eyes accusing.

An indescribable darkness took over his countenance, as if a light switch had just been flipped. Kushina had a feeling that whoever this man was, he had dangerous side to him and she was about to experience it. She took a step backward, her heart pounding in her ears as her wrists tugged at the chain binding her. The slack was stored between the man's long, thin fingers—the fingers of someone who used his hands...

Realization struck Kushina as she remembered the soft skin on the hands of the man who had purchased her. Who was _this_ person, the one before her? He wasn't the same one she had encountered at the arena. Her eyes darted back to the painting that had just been revealed. Her stomach churned as she examined the picture a second time, hoping that she had been wrong in her original assumption.

It was a girl, with red hair and well-developed curves. Light green eyes were wide as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She was on her knees, her hands clasped high and pleading to some unseen presence. The rag of a dress she was wearing was torn and dirty, her breasts exposed.

_The dress!_ The same deep violet that Momo had been wearing.

"Where is she? You didn't let her go!"

Her voice was shrill as she bit back her rage, though she knew that the attempt would only prove to be in vain. She was never any good at controlling her anger, as it always got the best of her. The sneer on his face told Kushina that releasing Momo was never his intention, though she had allowed herself to hope that he would have had some mercy on the young girl.

She had hoped for Momoko.

The man shrugged, the shrewd smile spreading across his face. Kushina's eyes grew wide at the confirmation, her vision suddenly growing fuzzy. She blinked, halting the momentary spinning of the hall around her. She suddenly felt as if she were going to vomit, her mouth watering as her heart pounded against her rib cage.

"She is...not in pain," the artist chuckled softly. Crudely. "She was not, er, very cooperative during her sit-in. Perhaps if she had been more so..."

Blood pounded in Kushina's ears, her rage growing as she hissed between her teeth, "You fucking monster."

"My, my, such language, especially from such a beautiful woman," the man cooed, his finger reaching out to trace over the scooping neckline of her dress. Where he had just been groping as Kushina had willingly allowed him to do so.

She quickly smacked his his hand away, her chain tinkling from the movement. It had not been as quick, nor as strong, as she had intended. He roughly grabbed her chain, his brown eyes flashing his anger as he twisted the links around his fingers. Taking up the slack, he jerked her toward him. She crashed into his chest, her mind sluggish.

"Now, now, you _bitch_!" he hissed, the venom in his voice surprising her as his lips hovered near her nose.

Kushina suddenly recognized the deep chestnut eyes; she had seen them somewhere before! She instantly howled with rage, her mind racing. She quickly raised a shackled fist, striking him in the face. He blinked a few times, shaking his head as if confused by her reaction. He stumbled backward, tripping over his feet as his shoulder hit the wall. His hands tangled in her chains, and the movement not only pulled Kushina with him, but it tore the skin on his forearm as the links bit into the tender flesh.

"What the f-" he hissed, his scathing voice confirming her suspicion. He was the man from earlier! The one that had left the bruises on her neck.

"WHERE IS SHE!" Kushina barked, her free hand quickly reaching down and squeezing what she had promised to steal from him earlier that day. Or maybe it was yesterday...she shook away her confusion.

His eyes bulged and the vein on his temple pulsated violently as he choked on nothing. His mouth opened and closed a few times, the corners sliding upward in a rueful smile. He seemed regain some hint of his composure, purposely ignoring her question. Kushina's patience was growing thin, and she squeezed harder on his testicles when he did not respond. Oddly enough, she could feel his growing erection. She was disgusted at his reaction, and had the feeling he was enjoying her brutality.

"I ASKED WHERE SHE IS!" she nearly screeched, her force causing his back to slam against the wall.

His shoulder hit the offending painting, knocking it off its nail. The artwork fell to the floor, crashing loudly. The frame immediately shattered, its remnants skidding across the floor. Deep brown eyes rolled back in the man's head, as his mouth bobbed open. He groaned, not entirely out of pain as Kushina felt a sticky wetness seeping through his pants. Her disgust multiplied and his jaw quickly snapped shut, after Kushina felt a satisfying pop in her palm. The man screamed, obviously now past his ecstasy and aware of the pain she was causing him. He pushed against her, but his strength was pathetic. Kushina saw his eyelids flutter as his expression became pale. A dreadful gurgle began deep in his throat as he continued to try and push her away. This reaction was unfamiliar to her, but she was taking no chances. Kushina quickly crossed her shackled hands over one another, pulling the chain tightly over his wrists, entangling him. She could see the extremities growing purple as bright red blood splashed the floor from the violent grinding of chain links into his skin.

"One more chance to answer me, _asshole_!" she spat in frustration, disgust and confusion as her fingers stretched upward and her eyes studied his face.

Foam was dripping from the edge of his mouth as his eyes rolled toward her. He smiled, his teeth smeared with blood, and his pupils dilated, "I knew about you, all this time...sensed your chakra...knew you were...something...I only wanted to paint you...too bad..."

Her deep blue eyes fluttered wider with realization as a horrible gurgling grew louder, echoing from his throat. His body quickly convulsed, causing him to shudder from head to toe. She watched his eyes bulge open before rolling back into his head. Dark blood mixed with green stomach acid oozed out of his mouth as his dead weight slid against the wall to the floor. Kushina's arms jerked downward with his body, and she quickly disentangled herself from him, stepping backward and watching his body twitch a few more times before stilling.

_She_ hadn't killed him, but something else had! She knelt by his cooling body, ignoring the dripping of blood as it oozed from the corner of his mouth. Her fingers found his carotids, and she knew from the absence of a pulsation that he was dead. The smell of the fluid oozing from his mouth and nose was bitter and metallic. Even without experience in the field, Kushina recognized that the man had been poisoned.

_Who did this? _

Her mind was aflutter with frantic thoughts, whirling through the possible scenarios. What would the Hokage say when he realized she had essentially failed this mission, allowing her target to die before her eyes? Or was he the target? She regained her composure, the calmness clearing her mind. If there was a member of the Interrogation Squad in the village, they could still gleam information from the dead man. Who had poisoned the man and why? More importantly, where was Momoko?

"Momo!" she whispered, her head snapping around.

Another episode of dizziness and nausea overwhelmed her and she steadied herself against the wall. Her legs felt like rubber as she tried to stand on them. She noticed a prickly sensation in her fingers and toes.

"MOMO!" she screamed, hoping her voice would reach the girl. Silence returned her call.

She adeptly bolted down the hall, her eyes avoiding the paintings. She now knew that the subjects were all women who had once resided in the house. Where they were now, she did not know, though deep down, she had her suspicions. She silently cursed as the halls echoed her bellows. She recalled the floor plan she had walked through on her descent through the house. She could find her bedroom, easily allowing her access to the dozens of doors on the upper floors. Perhaps Momoko would be in one of those rooms. Her feet thundered along the floor, carrying her as quickly as she could run. She skidded around the banister, running the length of the massive flight of stairs. At the top, she began to quickly open every and any door she could find. One after another, her search was proving fruitless. She was reaching the last of the doors, frustrated with the parlors and bedrooms that were empty, some covered in cobwebs. A tiny light was spreading from under one door—one at the opposite end of the hall. She stumbled toward it, her legs resisting her commands. Numb fingers gripped the cold knob and she forcefully pushed the door open.

The scene in front of her forced a cry from her throat.

The room was unfamiliar, but the set up was similar to the accommodations she and Momo had been placed in earlier that day. The slight movement from the tall-poster bed caught her eye. Hanging from one high post was Momo, her hands above her head. Thin wrists were bound by a dark bedsheet that cascaded over her shoulder. She was nearly nude, except the for the scant covering the sheet afforded. Her head was limp as it bobbed against her chest, hiding the black eyes and sliced lip. Dark bruises wrapped around her neck, the distinct shape of a fingers. Her body dangled, her toes dragging against the floor, the blood long dried between her thighs.

"Momo!" Kushina rasped, her voice leaving her.

Momo did not move, her body hanging from its bindings. Kushina could see the faint movement of her breasts against the sheer sheet. She quickly leaped onto the bed, grabbing the sheet and using her body weight to pull it free. Momo's body dropped the the floor, hitting it hard. A high-pitched groan left her lips as Kushina knelt beside her, the chains tinkling on her own restraints.

"Momo," Kushina frantically repeated the girl's name, sitting her against the bed.

Momo's head slumped backward and Kushina could see the swollen eye. It was nearly closed from the soft tissue puffiness. The bile rose in her throat as her fingers traced over the injured flesh. She quickly untied Momo's hands.

"Wake up, Momoko!" she urged, her tone pleading. "Please!"

A faint groan escaped from Momo's lips as her head moved from side to side. Kushina shook her shoulders, forcing the girl's eyes to flutter open. She blinked a few times, her left eye swollen shut. The lone, light green iris focused on Kushina's face. The kunoichi smiled awkwardly.

"It's me," she told the young girl, who seemed to be coming around.

"Kushina?" the girl meekly called out, her speech slurred from her injuries.

The red-head silently wished for the knowledge of any healing jutsu at that moment. She nodded, her eyes trailing over Momo's body. She cringed at her next question, as she already knew that the worst had been done.

"Are you hurt...anywhere else?"

Momo licked her lips, eyes misting as tears slowly spilled over her cheeks, "He—he...oh, Kushina!"

Her weak sobs broke Kushina's heart, and she put an understanding hand on the girl's shoulder. She had never had sex, nor did she know what it was like to have that part of her so brutally stolen. The bruises between the girl's thighs as well as the dried blood and Momo's reaction confirmed what she had feared most for the girl. She had been violated in the most horrible fashion.

"He's dead now," Kushina whispered, unable to hide the venom in her voice.

"Dead?" Momo's eye were wide with terror.

Kushina nodded, "Poison."

"H-How?" Momo whispered, her body shuddering from shock.

Kushina shook her head, reaching for a blanket to wrap around Momo's vulnerable body. When she had done so, she rubbed the girls arm, "Do not worry, he won't be able to hurt you again."

Momo said nothing, swallowing hard and nodding softly. The sound of someone behind her caused Kushina's head to snap around. She leaped to her feet, facing the newcomer.

It was the dark-haired servant. He was standing in the doorway, his eyes focused behind Kushina, "What is going on here?"

"Your master," Kushina seethed, "is a monster! I'm taking this girl and we are leaving."

She pointed at Momo, her eyes on the butler. He said nothing, only raising an eyebrow. Kushina continued, "If you try to so much as stop us, I will kill you, do you hear? I am a kunoichi from the Leaf, and my comrades are awaiting me. They have orders to take your master's body as well as anyone aiding him. I will let you go free if you move aside easily."

Still, the butler said nothing, irking Kushina. She moved her hand, the chain tinkling as it hit against itself. After a few moments, the young man's lips parted, his mouth slowly curving upward.

"I'm sorry, _miss_," his smirk grew more broad, "but I'm afraid I cannot accommodate that request."

_Straight teeth_! Perfectly aligned.

The memory stirred as Kushina's mouth fell open in recognition for a second time that night. _He _was the one! _He _had been the one to put on a show and purchase her at the arena! How had she been so blind? How had she not figured this out? She had been trained to never let her guard down, and she had proved a disservice to Konoha's tenets. She felt ashamed of her easily gullibility. Kushina swayed on her feet, attempting to blink away the fuzzy blurriness that had crept into her vision.

"Momo, we need to-" she quickly began, turning to gather the girl.

A sharp pain seared through her as Momo was standing and facing her. Kushina stumbled, shaking her head. Her shoulder throbbed and she looked down, noticing the blood running over her breast and down her abdomen. It looked purple as it soaked into her azure dress. She reached up a few fingers to dab at the thick red fluid.

"W-What?" she whispered, confused.

Momo smiled, slowly and intentionally as she lifted the small knife to her lips. She inhaled the scent of Kushina's blood, her eyes fluttering close. The bruises and marks were no longer marring her face and neck.

"Momo?" Kushina stepped backward, feeling strong hands grip her shoulders. Smooth finger draped over her collarbone. Fingers of someone who did not have to work hard...

The girl laughed, dabbing the dagger to her lips and licking them. Her eyes opened and her pupils dilated as she stared at Kushina. She threw her head back and laughed more openly. Kushina tried to blink away another wave of nausea and dizziness. She couldn't feel her feet...

"Who are you?" the kunoichi croaked, quickly recognizing her new enemy, "Where is Momoko?"

"Momoko?" the woman repeated, her smile growing as her eyes narrowed, "That girl? Oh, she existed. Once upon a time."

Kushina's eyes widened, fearing for the worst, "Explain yourself!"

"You never met her, to be correct," the woman explained, raising an auburn eyebrow, "She was one of our first gifts to the man you had dined with. Oh, he was such an idiot! He should have known better than to drink from those cups! We told him over and over what we were going to do, didn't we, Daijiro?"

The man behind Kushina chuckled, and she could feel the chilling smile on his lips, "Wasn't he something? What a convenience we found him. He had a thing for painting red-heads and we needed his craft. A sensor and an artist with an insatiable hunger!"

"He did have a mommy complex did he not? The things he did to those poor girls! I still have no idea where those bodies went..." Momo shook her head, grimacing slightly. "Such a sicko. I am not saddened by his death!"

"He was a good sensor, though. Shame we won't have him..." Daijiro murmured.

Kushina's heart was racing. Momo was dead? "You..._you_ were Momo the...the _entire time_?"

"Oh yes," the green-eyed girl chirped, "I borrowed her looks, of course. Her picture is downstairs, did you see it? She's long dead. Months, now, but I'm sure_ she_ doesn't mind my homage!"

Kushina's mind reeled from the twisted confession. Momo had never existed! Well, she _had _existed, just not as someone Kushina had known. The kunoichi felt as if something had been torn from her, as if she had suffered some great loss. In a way, it was comparable to the grief she had felt at Lady Hiruzen's death, but in a different sort of manner. It was as if someone she had known and cared about had just been taken from her. She couldn't fathom that such a sweet innocence had been killed by such vicious methods—things she couldn't speak of. She felt as if she were in one big dream and she would wake at any time...

"You'll pay for what you did!" Kushina hissed, her fury growing,"I swear it!"

"Swear it all you want, but you fell right into our trap. I'm actually disappointed at how easy it was," the man behind her sneered, the girl in front of Kushina nodded, her eyes showing her own disbelief.

"What trap?" Kushina groaned, clutching her shoulder as the red hot pain seared through her right arm.

The girl waved, sighing in exasperation that she had to explain herself, "Everything you see has been our intention. From your assignment to this mission to our little charade in the arena. Everything."

_Her mission_? How had they been responsible for her assignment to this village? Her eyes were wide as her heart raced. She had to know...

"Why me?" Kushina echoed, sweat shining on her forehead.

"It worked out perfectly. Our little artist's obsession with painting women of a certain hair color, along with his other...fetishes that came after," the Momo imposter shared, shrugging, "And how convenient when we learned of your old bag of a Hokage's attachment to a red-haired girl that was not his own!"

Kushina's eyes grew round as she clenched her fists. They were using her to get to the Hokage. It wasn't _her _that they were truly after. She felt a stab of protectiveness at the thought of them trying to get their hands on Hiruzen.

"He'll never fall for it!"

"Oh, he will, trust me on that one, Kushina," the girl's feline-like smile chilled the kunoichi. "You are able to get close enough to him, and I happen to be able to transform my appearance."

_No! _Kushina's mind screamed. She _had _fallen right into their trap! How abominable! They had set all of this up, planning her arrival and inability to totally separate herself, emotionally, from those in need. Her compassion had been her downfall. In the end, she had been weak...

"Why?" she croaked, the pain radiating to her arms and tears stinging her eyes at the thought of the real Momo.

"Why?" Daijiro mused from behind her, his contempt audible, "She wants to know _why_, Nana, love."

His laughter angered Kushina as she watched the tiny red-head shift from one foot to the other, tying the sheet around herself and hiding her nakedness. She threw her head back and cackled, her voice changing

"You want to know why?" she challenged, her green eyes flashing as her true voice was revealed, "Because we want recognition."

"Who's 'we'?" Kushina licked her lips, her eyes darting around the room as she croaked out her question.

"We of the Takumi Village, of course," the girl shrugged in non-nonchalance. "We've been overlooked these past few years, our skills drowned by the necessity of weapons. We want recognized, and who better to do so than by the strongest village, Konohagakure."

"It'll never work, you are only making enemies!" Kushina spat. "How could you think killing, kidnapping, and bribery would ever work?"

"Oh, we have made enemies for Konoha, of course. They will have no choice but to hear us. By being able to do so, we will gain the respect of the other nations. They will finally take us seriously," Daijiro shook her shoulders furiously. "We _will_ be recognized, instead of being _used!_"

Kushina knew very little of the artisan village other than they were renowned for their craftsmanship in weaponry. She could understand the rationale behind her argument, but knew that even Hiruzen was not that forgiving. What childish ideals! Kushina suddenly laughed, much to her captors' surprise as well as her own. It was suddenly all very silly...

The man furiously spun her around, causing another onset of dizziness, "What's so damned funny?"

She shook her head, half out of confusion, blinking as she saw two Daijiros in front of her, "You think it'll be that easy to get close to the Hokage, do ya?"

"Nana can transform herself into anyone, even taking on their abilities," his eyes were stony as he looked at Kushina, his voice challenging. His gaze flickered behind her, "My lover can do whatever she wants, even copying your voice, which would make approaching a worried Hokage quite easy, no? She has the perfect skill."

Kushina's hands went through the familiar seals, and she quickly lifted her fingers and tapped the man on the forehead, a smirk ready on her lips. He stepped backward, quickly reaching up and smacking her hands away. Kushina's eyes grew round as she realized that her attempt at paralysis had failed.

Nana's voice rang out from behind her, her tone cheerful, "Almost forgot, Dai engraved a seal into those restraints. Interrupts your chakra flow, suppressing your ability to use hand seals. Such a beautiful thing!"

Kushina looked at the shiny cuffs, her vision skewed. The had prevented her from using hand seals? Her heart raced as she realized that she was nearly powerless.

_Nearly_.

She laughed again, on the verge of hysteria as she shook her head, "Thought of everything, did ya?"

Green eyes met gray ones, though words were not exchanged. Kushina's head snapped upright as she glared angrily at Daijiro. She knew that they were simply amateurs, coming from a village that did not have proper training for their shinobi. They hadn't thought of the possibility that she did not need hand seals to carry out an attack. Or that she may not need chakra, either.

Her smile grew dangerous, "Didn't think of this!"

She gritted her teeth, preparing for the pain as she grabbed her right wrist in her hand, bringing her hands upward with all the force she could muster. She hit him in the jaw, knocking him backward. As he stumbled, she quickly gathered her chakra in her feet, launching herself off of the ground. As she rose upward, she brought her foot up, kicking him in the chest with one blow and in the face with another. She stepped off of him, spinning and kicking him again in the chest. Her blow had broken a couple of ribs, she was sure. Daijiro choked for air, his body flailing backwards as Kushina easily flipped backward, landing in a crouched position and glaring angrily at Nana as the woman's lover crashed through the doorway behind her. The girl stepped backward, her facade fading, revealing a pale and mousy girl who looked to be a few years older than Kushina.

_So it's a simple transformation technique_, Kushina told herself, hearing Daijiro curse her as he rose to his feet. Nana brandished the dagger in her hand, awaiting Kushina's attack.

"Hand seals aren't the only way to use chakra," Kushina growled as she charged at Nana, "You should know better than to underestimate Konoha's training!"

Nana's eyes grew round as she charged at Kushina, swinging the blade Kushina with some skill. Kushina easily avoided the slices, feeling slightly discombobulated from the movements. She shook off the feeling, using one hand to grab Nana's wrist, and using her bad arm to wrap the chain around her opponent's lower arm. With a quick twist of her hands, she heard the satisfying break of Nana's forearm as the woman screamed in pain. Kushina quickly dropped her shoulder, bodily throwing the woman over it, sending her flying into Daijiro as the man attempted to intervene. The pair collided, collapsing with screams of fury. Kushina stepped back with one foot, tugging at her chains and challenging her opponents. A blast of air shot up around her, blowing her hair about and making her look like a wild woman. She kicked the knife under the bed, awaiting the weak shinobis' next attack. She found herself confident that she could easily take them on, even with her hands bound and chakra sealed. Her shoulder seared with pain, and she ignored it, blinking away the fuzziness the pain was causing on her vision.

The two in front of her suddenly looked like four, and Kushina tried to shake off the odd sensation. Her lips were feeling numb, and her fingers and toes were suddenly pricking with pain. She felt as if bugs were crawling on her skin. But, when she looked at her arms, there was nothing. The pain suddenly spread, and she limply fell to her knees, her arms dangling at her sides. She shook her head, trying to will herself to her feet, but her body was suddenly resisting her urges. It was as if she had no control.

She had momentarily forgotten where she was, and the jerking movement of Daijiro grabbing her chains and pulling her upright sobered her momentarily. His face was bleeding and his front tooth broken and he glared at her. Colors pulsated as Kushina tried to fight off the odd sensations, feeling no fear at what may happen to her. She only felt numbness. Her thoughts were intact, but she suddenly felt as if she were trapped in her body. Locked in. When she did not respond to Daijiro's threats, he grabbed her chin, pulling it upward. His mouth moved, and Kushina could hear his voice, but it sounded like a far away echo. Her eyes moved slowly, her eyelids drooping as her body became relaxed of all tension.

"Poison's finally setting in, my love," Daijiro murmured to Nana, noticing the constriction of Kushina's pupils.

Words were resounding in her head, but Kushina was unable to speak them. Her body shivered from whatever was running through her. How had she been poisoned also? She didn't feel the pain as Daijiro dropped her on the floor, her body landing heavily and her chains clinking. She laid there, like a puppet, her body lifeless and her mind intact. She could hear their discussion continue.

"Took long enough," Nana muttered, angrily touching her cheek, and nursing her broken arm, "Saliva transfer dulls its function a bit. Takes longer to set in, I suppose. I was never much good with poisons."

_Saliva_? Had the man from earlier—the man that killed Momo, the _real _Momoko—been the inadvertent carrier? Despite her sluggishness, Kushina could hear them discussing how the artist had been he unfortunate victim of poisoning, much to his own stupidity. He had managed, at least, to share it with Kushina when she kissed him, though the poison seemed to be less effective when transferred that way.

"_Momo.. I'm sorry,_" Kushina inwardly apologized.

She felt a sudden loss for the girl she never knew but felt a connection with. Hot tears stung her eyes as the blurry faces of her foes hovered above her. It was the last thing she saw before darkness and coldness engulfed her.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Minato and Jin expertly let themselves into the mansion, quickly waving ANBU in after them when it was clear. They didn't make it far when someone contacted Minato over their headsets.

"We found her," came the low, gritting voice.

He thought it sounded like Ibiki, but he couldn't be sure. The young man was gifted in interrogation, and was slowly working up the ranks of ANBU. Minato had no doubt that he would be a fine member of the Interrogation Squad some day. With Yamanaka, Konoah would be formidable.

Minato's heart beat faster at the vague knowledge he was given. There was no indication of what state she was in. He quickly made his way through the hallway, finding Jin standing over two bodies, shaking his head. One was lying it a puddle of blood and vomitus, the smell sour and metallic. The other was sprawled on the floor, a heap of rich, midnight blue 's red hair caught his eyes, and he instinctively pushed past Jin, leaning down and resting his forefinger over the soft pale flesh of her neck. The angry bruises angered him, and he felt a hot rage clawing at his insides. He let out a sigh of relief when he felt the familiar bounding of her heartbeat. Jin rested a hand on Minato's shoulder.

"Let's get her back to Konoha as soon as possible, there's no telling what has happened to her."

Minato nodded, quickly gathering the woman in his arms. His eyes remained on her face as he willed her deep blue irises to reveal themselves to him. His gaze fell on the man in the hallway, and he felt his blood pressure rise. He could see the death in the man's unfocused eyes, but he wanted to kick the corpse anyhow.

"He's dead," an ANBU informed them as she examined the target. An Uchiha...Mikoto.

Minato wanted to laugh at the statement. _Of course he's dead! It's only to be expected of Kushina_.

"Do you know what killed him?" Jin asked, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Kushina as she was curled in Minato's arms, her head carefully supported by Minato's shoulder. There were no marks on her skin, aside from the deep purple markings on her neck.

"Combination...seems to be some sort of paralytic and something that causes extreme hemorrhage," the ANBU answered, her voice gruff.

"But she doesn't seem to have been affected," Jin nodded his head toward Kushina, as Minato pulled her closer to him.

The ANBU shook his head, "No, sir. It seems that she had not ingested the concoction directly. The hemorrhagic agent only works that way. The paralytic, that can be, er, spread by other means."

"Like what?" Minato asked, noting the visible discomfort of the ANBU.

"Body fluids," the soldier answered.

Minato's eyes widened, quickly realizing the slew of implications behind the ANBU's answer. Jin quickly intervened.

"Is Yamanaka Inoichi here?"

"Yes, sir," came the reply from behind them. "I can begin immediately."

"Good," Minato nodded, his eyes on Kushina's face. He already regretted having to write the debriefing, and knew he would have to request a rape examination upon stepping into Konoha, "Get as much information as you can, and have Yoshito ready to assume his duties."

If they could acquire any information, maybe that would spare the Hokage's disappointment in them for essentially failing the mission. Yoshito's expertise may also give them another chance to redeem themselves. Minato carefully carried Kushina outside, allowing ANBU to continue their search of the house. His eyes rarely left her face as he and Jin ran toward their encampment outside of the village. They were prepared to leave for Konoha that night, as Yoshito would take over and send information via his scroll. A few jonin would be scattered about, more for support if needed. ANBU would stay behind to surround and infiltrate the arena and Minato knew that it was more than enough force to take over a bunch of rich, horny civilian lords. He hadn't sensed any shinobi in his presence while there, as their demeanor markedly differed from that of a civilian's.

He could see the faint glow of the fire as he approached the tiny camp afters a few kilometers of running. Jin had said very little, only offering to carry Kushina's limp body. Minato had refused; his guilt as well as his emotions forcing him to trudge on. He was overwhelmed with the day's events, though he would never admit it. He could not begin to describe his elation at discovering Kushina alive. Her condition worried him, as he did not know what had happened or how she had been injured or poisoned. His mind began whirling with thoughts of forced intercourse and other torturous means. He began to feel an overwhelming protectiveness toward her, and his rage was enough to allow him slaughter all of those men who had so willingly purchased the kidnapped women. His eyes trailed over her dress, and he couldn't hide the blush that crept over his cheeks. He was thankful for the darkness. The deep blue fabric covered her legs, though he could see her thighs as they were revealed through the tear in her dress. He saw no bruises on her legs. Perhaps he could breathe a bit easier. He held her closer to his body, almost instinctively. His eyes darted to her thighs, before traveling up her body. There were no injuries to indicate anything forced.

_Or maybe she let him_, he told himself.

_No! She wouldn't! _he argued with his inner self. It hadn't looked like there had been any intimacy between the two, had there? A hallway wasn't exactly a place for such acts, at least he didn't think so.

_Why do you care? Do you want her all to yourself? A girl that hasn't shown any inkling that she cares for you? _Minato furiously pushed the thoughts aside. Why was he suddenly thinking like a barbarian? Was it his over-whelming protectiveness for her? Where did it come from?

The group around the fire stood as Minato and Jin landed on the outskirts of the camp. Tsume didn't turn, as she and Kuromaru had most likely heard or smelled them earlier. She watched them from the corner of her eye.

"She's going to be fine," Jin told the group as Minato carried Kushina to his sleeping bag. He gently laid her down, ignoring Tsume's stare.

He carefully covered the unconscious red-head, his communication device buzzing in his ear. He could hear the ANBU commander clearing the mansion, stating that the scene was taken care of and that their decoy was now in place. Minato had faith in his shinobi, and he quickly responded that his understanding, though his attentions were mainly focused elsewhere. Kuromaru whined, his lone eye looking up at Tsume as she suddenly stood. Minato glanced up at the movement, surprised that she hadn't immediately come to see her friend's condition. He couldn't blame her, though, as seeing Kushina in such a state bothered him greatly as well. Her safety was not yet confirmed, and she may still be hovering close to death. There was a medic-nin in the village that they would wait for to stabilize her before they departed for Konoha.

He only spoke up when he realized the dog-nin was leaving. Her actions greatly confused him, "Inuzuka, explain yourself."

She froze, her hand on Kuromaru's head. She slowly turned her own so that her profile was lit by the campfire, "I got somethin' to check on, that's all."

He narrowed his eyes, "You were to have all of your loose ends tied up before we left for Konoha."

Tsume scratched her head, a few strands of messy hair standing on end, "Uh, yeah, about that, I told ya: I have somethin' I need to do. You can leave without me, I'll catch up."

Minato said nothing, wondering why she was suddenly on edge. He didn't have the energy to question her, as he was more concerned about Kushina. He looked down at the unconscious kunoichi, anxious to find out what had really happened. He was feeling very worn out from the past few days.

"Fine, just be careful," he nodded, giving her free reign. Jin had settled on the outer edge of camp, awaiting the few shinobi that were to return and taking up his shift of guard duty. They still had a few hours before departure.

"Don't have to tell me twice," she muttered, her voice a low growl as she quickly leaped onto Kuromaru's back with amazing agility. She gripped the canine's fur, tossing up a hand in a departing wave.

Minato had been so engrossed in his worry that he hadn't heard her final words, which were barely more than a whisper: "You be careful, too."


	25. Debt Repayed?

**A/N: aaaand that took entirely too long! Aaaand I don't think I got back to everyone (especially sorry, M-R!). My apologies. I'm applying to programs that will make my life semi-tolerable for the next three years of my life (in that I'll make $$). I'll be travelin' all over this country for the next couple of months, perhaps somewhere near you (scary, huh)? Anyhow, here's the next chapter. A continuation of darkness. Don't say I didn't warn you! And no complain', got it? Good!**

**Much thanks to everyone, your encouragement makes me continue the story! We're getting closer! Promise. Please RxR, as usual. A big hello to my new adds! :D**

**_PS: Can I say that I looove Konan. And why can't Kishi just outright make people admit their feelings? I was feelin' some KonanxYahiko!_  
**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just OCs

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina slipped in an out of consciousness. Her mind spun with each jerking movement of her body as it was carried against her will. Words were being spoken, but she couldn't understand them. They sounded like scattered whispers lost in a tornado. She could hear low murmurs as they slowly grew louder in intensity. A woman's voice, sharp and shrill. Promises of love and soothing words were softly offered, cutting of the harsh yells. Sometime after, low moans of ecstasy replaced the stinging words. Kushina slipped back into the darkness, allowing the chilling emptiness to swallow her. Her body was no longer her own; she had no control of her limbs or bodily functions. She could barely form a thought. She was a fading mind in an useless body and her life was at the mercy of her captors.

Darkness. Emptiness. Haunting depths of nothingness...

_Kushina! Wake up, my darling girl!_

Kushina's lids fluttered open, the room moving with her. The voice sounded as if it were nearby, its familiarity stinging her. She tried to lift her head_,_ but its weight forced her chin to drop against her chest as her crimson hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her eyes rolled back into her head, the light searing her vision. She was developing a splitting headache, but she refused to let it hinder her from searching for _that _voice. She blinked a few times, tears of past memories stinging her eyes. Quick movements made her nauseous. Slowly but surely, the room came into view.

She felt heavy, her wrists twisting in pain. She felt her toes skim the floor, her ears catching the gentle clinking of chains as she dangled from her shackled wrists. Her arms were numb from the position, the blood long ago leaving her hands and rushing to her feet. Kushina tried to wriggle her toes, willing her legs to move, but the attempt proved unsuccessful. She stared at her feet as she dangled in her confinement. Her swollen and bruised feet skimmed the tiled floor. Tiny hemorrhages sprinkled her lower legs from the pressure. She blinked again, focusing on the unfamiliar shackles clamped around the the slender curve of her ankles, similar to the ones she wore on her wrists. Daijiro had learned from their earlier encounter, obviously.

_Shit! s_he silently cursed as she swayed.

The room was beginning to spin, and her stomach lurched. Her mouth tasted bitter. She thought about her situation, wanting to laugh at the predicament she had gotten herself into. She had no worries regarding her safety at the moment. She truly could care less about what was going to happen to her in the hands of her captors. Perhaps that was the poison coursing through her veins, speaking these depressing thoughts. But, still, Kushina didn't care about _anything_.

She began to feel more lethargic and her eyes slowly closed as they rolled up into her head. She once again welcomed the impending darkness that was beckoning to her. She resigned herself to whatever fate was awaiting her, no matter how vile it would be. She collapsed into the nothingness that enveloped her.

_My Kushina! My daughter_! Came the soft, singing voice. Kushina stirred a little. Who was that?

_M-Mom? s_he silently called out in the vastness of her empty mind.

_Close_, the smiling voice replied.

Kushina sobered in her lonely prison. It could only be _her_! _W-Where are you? _

_I'm here, where I have always been, my child_, she replied. _But, right now, you need to wake up! _

_I'm too tired, _Kushina replied weakly, _I don't care._

_Then maybe someone else can encourage you, my daughter, _the voice of Lady Sarutobi—the one she had heard earlier—faded.

_Kushina! No daughter of mine is going to be lazy! _the stern, yet warm, voice chastised her. This time, it was her mother. The woman who gave birth to her.

Imaginary tears stung her eyes. In her mind, she reached out to touch her. Her fingers swiped through the misty blurriness. _Mom_.

_None other! _She could hear the smile of the invisible speaker.

_Is she shirking her responsibility? _a man asked.

_If she is, she gets it from you. _An amused response, though loving.

_Hey now, no blaming! _the warm voice argued, as laughter rang out.

_I've missed you all so much, _Kushina smiled through the darkness, her body feeling more tangible.

_Well, as Lady Sarutobi told you, we're always here. Right here. But that's not what's important_, the voice reprimanded her. _What's important is that you stay focused on the mission. You are a shinobi of the Whirlpool. _

_What can I do? _Kushina asked, wanting to stay with the people she loved. Their voices brought so many emotions, she could barely contain them. She didn't care if this was all a dream...

_One, don't forget about us. Well, me, at least, _came her father's familiar, laughing voice. _And two...Honey? What's two? _

_Two? s_he replied as if she were thinking, _Oh, yes, two is that you need to WAKE UP, NOW UZUMAKI KUSHINA! _

Kushina's head shot up, her mind reeling from the dizziness that enshrouded her. The light blinded her, and she blinked furiously against it. She instinctively tried to pull against her shackles to block the light with her hands. The movement proved to be impossible.

"Hmmm...you're awake? That was sooner than...I anticipated," came the purring, smooth baritone.

She yelped, her eyes darting toward the speaker, finding him watching her from the corner. He was perched on the bed, his upper torso bare. She saw his shirt strewn across the floor in a crumpled heap. His straight teeth instantly sobered Kushina as she remembered the danger she was facing. She felt her limbs tingle from the numbness; they were still weak from the poison. With the chakra-suppressing seals on her hands and feet, she would have a difficult time getting out of this trap.

"Where is she?" Kushina croaked, her voice cracking.

"Momo?" Daijiro asked, raising an eyebrow tauntingly, an eerie smile on his face, "Or do you mean Nana?"

The realization that Momo was long dead still stung Kushina. Her forgotten rage bubbled suddenly to the surface. She felt her fury win the best of her as she pulled against the cold, metal shackles.

"You bastard!" she sneered at him, her blue eyes blazing.

His smile grew as he sighed thoughtfully, "If you really must know...she's, well, she's _you _at the moment."

Kushina's eyes grew round in realization, the room softly tilting. She shook away the nauseating feeling, "Me?"

"Right now, your comrades are taking her back to Konohagakure, where your Hokage will find his treasured person. There, she will kill him. If she's feeling merciful, that is," he carefully watched her reaction, his eyes widening slightly at her unexpected answer.

Kushina chuckled softly, her hair hiding half of her face as she bared her teeth, "He'll never fall for that, you idiot! He's the _Hokage_!"

"Oh he will," Daijiro promised, "When one's family is in danger, one forgets all pretenses. He _will _fall for it, that I don't doubt. Nana may have mercy and keep him alive, but I highly doubt it."

Kushina said nothing, unconvinced that Hiruzen would fall for Nana's deception. She knew that the title of Hokage did not mean that a shinobi was the strongest or smartest of his village, but it definitely gave him an advantage, did it not?

"You are not so sure, see?" the man concluded, "Let me assure you that her transformations are flawless. She can mimic voices, mannerisms, and abilities—all from simply coming in contact with her victim for long enough to absorb their chakra type as a sample for her body to imitate. I have been lucky to have discovered her...talent, wouldn't you agree? Gods know that her looks don't get her far."

He pulled a dagger from his waist, his eyes never leaving her face, "I'm not from Takumi, you see. I was once a member of a village in Whirlpool. Before it was ravaged by Konoha, that is. I just happened upon that shithole of a town."

"Lies!" Kushina hissed her argument, "No. It's not true. Konoha is a peaceful country."

Konoha would do no such thing! She didn't care that he was from the same country as her. She felt no kinship with this man. He deserved none. She shook her head, refusing to believe that it was Konoha that had been responsible for the destruction of her childhood home. Her family. Her life.

"Hmmph!" he threw his head back and laughed, his voice throaty, "It was difficult for me to digest, as well, especially given the strong ties between our villages. The First Hokage's wife was from my village, and it brought great pride to my people. We were renowned for our ability to use sealing techniques, and were respected greatly by Konoha. Or so we thought."

"That is _my _home too-"

"_Was_ your home," he interrupted, correcting her, partly out of surprise, "I thought you were from Konoha, but I can honestly say that I'm not entirely surprised at your confession. Hair the color of fire was was a common and unique trait in my people. Perhaps my appreciation for such a color hails from my heritage, after all."

"It's not true," she hissed between gritted teeth, the air whistling as it passed over her lips.

"Denial? Not so unwarranted, I suppose," her captor replied, poking his outstretched palm with the dagger tip. "I would not have believed it had I not see the hitai'ites or recognized the renowned ANBU masks."

His gaze remained steady on her face, his expression filled with the utmost sincerity as he continued, "I had a difficult time believing as well, but I _saw_ with my own eyes. They slaughtered women, children, and the elderly, having no mercy."

Kushina said nothing out of her disbelief. She refused to take this man's words at face value. It was most likely a ploy to have her drop her guard. She struggled against her shackles.

"Won't do," he replied softly, "I made sure to bind your ankles. Won't make _that_ mistake twice."

"You will never get away with this!" she swore.

"Won't I?" he mused, bringing the clean blade to his lips. "Then why is my little lapdog on her way to Konoha? Why is your elite fooled?"

"They'll realize it if they haven't already!" she spat, her lids narrowed in anger.

He shrugged his slender shoulders, "Such false hopes! But, I've already succeeded in getting away with so much." He waved his hand around the room, "Everything you see..."

Kushina looked around wildly, her mind racing for a way to free herself. His voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You see, I bided my time carefully. I was lucky enough to find that gullible village, toying with their insecurities. Soon, an entire village was at my disposal. I started trafficking as way to cover my real operation. And Nana...well, she is merely a tool. A very useful tool at that. Good for few other things aside from her transformation abilities," he smiled at his lewd inference.

He licked the blade, watching Kushina's reaction. "She has no idea that all those girls...that it was me. Right under her plain little nose."

Kushina's eyes widened at his words. _He _was the one who had killed those girls? "But, the man from earlier—he was the one—"

Again Daijiro laughed. This time, however, it was deep and haughty, "Oh, he was harmless! He only wanted to paint. Such a weird creature! I was the one that had my way with those girls when he was done! And Nana never once suspected it! I was almost caught with that last one...Momo, was that the one who you became attached to?"

Kushina felt as if she were going to vomit. She hissed, baring her teeth, "Animal!"

"She was a screamer, that was certain," he smiled, licking his lips and walking toward her. Kushina felt her heart race as his gaze filled with lust. His eyes wandered over her body, lingering where they shouldn't.

"So beautiful...such a shame I'll have to dispose of you," he murmured as he closed the distance.

"Get away from me! I'll kill you, I swear!" Kushina screamed, struggling against her restraints.

"It's futile," he sneered, touching the tip of the dagger to her sternum. He lightly traced it down her breastbone, stopping at the deep blue fabric of her dress as it resisted his descent to the creamy flesh of her breasts.

His eyes were wild with excitement, "You will be delicious, I'm sure. Probably a virgin? I can smell your innocence from a mile away, having yet to be...broken. Opened."

Kushina said nothing, her cheeks burning as he chuckled softly, the dagger tearing through the fabric covering her breasts. He leaned down, nuzzling the pale skin between them, moaning as he inhaled.

"You smell divine," he told her, raising his lips to trail over her collarbone and brushing them over the nape of her neck.

"When I free myself, I'm going to kill you," she grunted through clenched teeth, confused by the sensations coursing through her.

"You won't free yourself," he replied huskily, sniffing a handful of red hair as he pressed against her. Kushina could feel the revolting firmness against her thigh. The fabric did very little to provide a barrier against _that. _

"_When _I free myself, asshole, I _will _make you pay," she vehemently promised, squeezing her eyes shut as he pulled her against him, his hand slipping under the slit of her dress and cupping her buttocks.

She heard the chains tinkling as he roughly handled her, his skin grazing over hers. She silently prayed that, whatever he would do to her, it would be over quickly. If it were the last thing she did, this man would pay.

"Mmmm," he moaned, roughly grabbing her chin between her thumb and forefinger, pulling it toward him. He covered her mouth with his, pressing firmly against her lips. Kushina turned her head in resistance, but he caught her chin again.

"Comply, bitch!" he hissed, taking her lower lip between his teeth and biting hard.

She did not react to the pain, tasting the blood as it filled her mouth. Its metallic taste was making her sick as she fought against swallowing the thick fluid now mixed with her saliva. He pulled back, looking at her in satisfaction. She sneered, spitting on his face. The blood stained his cheek as it mingled with her spittle. He wiped his eye, glaring at her angrily after a momentary hesitation. He pulled his arm back, punching her squarely in the face. Kushina did not cry out as the searing pain blinded her, momentarily. She felt her lip split more and the blood drip from her nostril. Her cheekbone throbbed from the impact.

"You hit like a little whiny bitch," she goaded him. Perhaps if she could get him to make a mistake. To hesitate, she could think of a way to free herself...

"You stupid whore!" he yelled, holding the dagger at her neck, his grip trembling,"I'll make this as painful as possible! You'll be begging for death when I'm finished with you."

His eyes were wild; his pupils dilated at he stared at her in fury. Kushina could feel the vulnerable flesh of her neck tear under the dagger's pressure. Daijiro's eyes trailed down her bosom, as blood dripped from her mouth, splashing her collarbone. He reached out and dabbed at the dark fluid, licking it from his fingertip, sucking loudly as he watched her. Kushina felt her stomach wrench. This man was far more twisted than she had thought.

"Such a beautiful contrast," he murmured, dragging the dagger through her skin down to her collar bone.

Kushina felt the blood beading as the stinging pain worsened. She grimaced as he pulled the blade through her skin, leaving a terrible mark. With a primal groan, the man leaned down and covered her fresh wound with his mouth, sucking on the blood. She gasped as she felt his tongue running over the angry flesh. His pressed his body against her, shuddering violently as he groaned, his hands clenching the fabric at her waist. Kushina could feel a sticky wetness through the dress, and her mind screamed at the revolting sensations coursing through her.

Daijiro stepped back, smiling with his teeth covered in her blood. His eyes searched her face as he reached out and cupped her cheek. Kushina pulled away, but he raised another hand, dropping the dagger to hold her head with both hands. He crushed her mouth with his, and Kushina could taste the salty metallic blood on his lips. He shoved his tongue in her mouth, nearly gagging her as his teeth scraped against her split lip. He moaned again, his hands reaching to pull down the top of her dress. Kushina pulled against he metal shackles, her helplessness growing. This was not her willingly giving herself up for the sake of her village. No, _this_ was her being taken against her will. She would fight it tooth and nail, no matter how bound and weak she may be.

Her body was slowly recovering from the toxin that she had unknowingly contracted earlier. He squeezed firmly, causing Kushina to cry out in pain, against her better judgment. It only served to arouse him more, as he quickly fumbled to pull her dress up her thighs. Kushina attempted to kick, but it did no good. She tried to lift her legs to prevent his fervent hands, but she was still too weak. He pushed her thighs open, thrusting his hips against her. She could only hang there and take whatever cruel punishment the man would deal out. She clenched her eyes shut, praying for a miracle as he fumbled with his belt.

She was answered by the sound of shattering glass. Daijiro jumped away from her as Kushina's eyes snapped open to spot the familiar presence. Slitted pupils examined the man before they met Kushina's blue gaze.

"Well, looks like I made it in time!" Tsume commented, her lids narrowed as she looked over the wounds on Kushina's face. Her eyes were full of anger. Her voice matched her gaze, "Kushina, you alright?"

Kushina nodded, smiling slightly. She swallowed the blood pooling in her mouth, "'Bout time."

"Yeah, I'd say so," Tsume replied, baring her sharp incisors as she looked at Daijiro, "I knew that wasn't you they brought back. Smelled foul!"

"Just get me out of here, will ya," Kushina pleaded as she tried to pull herself free to no avail. She was still too weak.

Daijiro quickly recovered from the shock of an unwelcome intruder. He wiped the blood from his mouth, "Smelled her?"

Tsume pointed to her nose, "Yeah, I could smell that rotten imposter, though I didn't want to tell the others, in case she could alert ya. So, I followed Kushina's scent here. That's how I found ya."

"Interesting," Daijiro replied calmly, "So she can't mimic scent, what a pity. I had held her to too high of standards. Her death is not my concern, it appears."

"You're gonna let your girlfriend die?" Tsume raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She's disposable to me, I'm not one for attachments," he replied casually.

"Hmmph," Tsume grunted, "Too bad you're the enemy, I kinda like your outlook."

Daijiro said nothing, watching the Inuzuka heiress with curiosity. After a moment he replied, "Not my type, too ugly."

Tsume hissed in anger, shaking her head and crouching down. Her finger nails elongated, growing claw-like, "Let's get this over with! I gotta get Kushina back. Someone's been worried 'bout her!"

Kushina wondered what Tsume's comment meant, but she pushed it aside. Her friend couldn't have come at a better time, and Kushina was thankful for her ability to sniff her out. Literally.

"This should pay me back for the Chuunin Exams, no?" Tsume's narrowed gaze remained on Daijiro as she spoke to Kushina from the corner of her mouth.

"Definitely, and I'll throw in my first-born child! Just hurry up, my hands are numb!" Kushina answered, her throat raw.

"You think I'll be that easy, do you?" Daijiro mused, quickly reaching for his dropped dagger. He quickly pulled out a second one, "We Whirlpool shinobi don't die that easily! Fūjutsu Kyūin!"

After a flurry of movements, a bright light shot outward, creating a shield in front of him. His face was lit up by the sealing technique as he haughtily scrutinized his new opponent.

"What the hell?" Tsume raised an eyebrow, somewhat taken aback by the foreign jutsu.

"It's an absorption seal!" Kushina breathed, instantly recognizing the technique. "It'll absorb your ninjutsu."

"Gotcha," Tsume smirked, her smile lopsided at the irony, "Only that, huh?"

Daijiro watched the exchange with mild curiosity as he prepared for Tsume's attack. She didn't give him time to respond as she quickly began to spin.

"Piercing Fang Attack!" she screeched as she used her signature attack.

Kushina realized that Kuromaru was nowhere to be found, an odd situation for Tsume, as her Dual Piercing Fang was more powerful with her nin-dog's presence. She said a silent prayer as Tsume spun with such speed that her movements became almost invisible. Kushina could see Daijiro trying to track Tsume, hiding behind his absorption technique. She had to admit that she was surprised he was capable of such an ability, given his earlier lack of knowledge about different techniques and jutsu styles. It was apparent that he still didn't grasp it as well as he pretended, or he would know that Tsume's taijustu could easily penetrate his barrier. In a flurry of movement, the floor ripped up around Tsume as she barreled toward Daijiro with unbelievable speed. He tried to dodge her attacks the best he could but she was too quick. He was bodily flung across the room, and Tsume stood, staring at him and breathing heavily. Two daggers scattered across the floor, quickly kicked away by Tsume, who dropped down on all fours as if it were perfectly natural.

"Enough for ya?" she hissed as the bright light once again appeared in front of him.

Daijiro swayed on his feet, nursing his now-broken arm as his eye swelled. He said nothing, watching Tsume through narrowed lids. She arched her back, snarling as she began to spin once again, picking up speed. He watched her carefully, dancing away from her first attack, though even Kushina could barely see it. Tsume attacked a second time, which was once again dodged. The third time, Kushina could see Tsume slowing from exhaustion. The technique was rough on her to do alone, and the effectiveness halved. Daijiro must have been anticipating this, as he quickly dove in and grabbed her, the barrier enshrouding her as well. His hand clamped around Tsume's neck, as her eyes bulged from her head. She opened her mouth and croaked, unable to speak due to his constricting grip. Her surprise was evident on her face as she was lifted from the ground, her feet dangling.

"Tsume!" Kushina screamed, as she realized what was happening.

"This is why women should not become ninja," Daijiro sneered, "You may have a few cards up your sleeve, but you will never have a man's endurance. To think you could defeat me! I'll take your chakra and replete my own."

He squeezed harder, and Tsume's fingers tried to claw his grip loose from her neck. Kushina yelled again, and Tsume's eyes slid toward her. A slight smile crept across her face as Kushina's fear grew. She watched the glow of Daijiro's arm as he sucked Tsume's chakra from her body. His ability to suppress and absorb chakra was unexpected, even to Kushina. Tsume's lips were growing blue as she tried, in one last attempt, to tear his fingers away. Her face was red as the blood was unable to leave her head and her eyes began to roll up in her head.

"Tsume!" Kushina screamed once again as Daijiro squeezed more tightly, his eyes wild and teeth bared. Tsume raised her brows, her eyes fluttering open.

"Oh...yeah," she muttered, using what little air she could gather from her lungs and whistling as loudly as she could.

Daijiro was so absorbed in what he was doing that he didn't take notice to Tsume's whistle. Even Kushina was baffled, though it was short-lived. She hadn't heard Kuromaru running down the hall, only the sound of the door shattering as he crashed through it. Daijiro only had a few moments to react. In that short period of time, he reflexively released Tsume and held up his arms to protect his face. Kuromaru snarled, his teeth bared as he lunged at the former Whirlpool shinobi, his jaws clamping around the man's neck. Both man and beast collapsed onto the floor, as the giant dog dragged Daijiro's body with him. Kushina watched with a mixture of horror and relief as the wolf shook his head violently, instantly breaking Daijiro's neck. The man's body quivered a few times before going limp, as his blood spurted over the floor. Tsume reached for her neck, quickly recovering, though somewhat shaken. She stood on unsteady feet, walking over to Kuromaru, who immediately sat on his haunches, his tongue lagging from his mouth and his fur soaked in fresh blood. Tsume patted his head, staring down at the shinobi. She kicked the limp body and it responded with another twitch. She smirked to herself. Kushina couldn't deny that she, too, would have liked to kick the dead bastard's body. She had reason to.

"Asshole!" Tsume hissed. She stared for a few more minutes, before turning to look at Kushina, "You OK?"

"Yeah," Kushina nodded, licking her lips, "Don't think I can walk, though."

"Not a problem, I brought back up," Tsume jerked a thumb toward Kuromaru, who yipped happily. "I got a scroll, I'm gonna seal that body in it to take back with us. He may be dead, but Inoichi can still get stuff from him."

"Better death than he deserved," Kushina agreed, remembering Momo.

"Let's get you freed up," Tsume glanced over the shackles.

Kushina rubbed her biting hands and sore wrists, the blood returning to them as Tsume unlatched the anklets. The canine-like kunoichi stood, looking over Kushina as she rubbed the angry bruise on her neck, "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," Kushina replied, touched by her friend's worry. She quickly stumbled forward, throwing arms around Tsume, who's eyes widened in surprise. "Thanks!"

Tsume awkwardly patted Kushina's back, "Uh...consider it a debt repaid...OK? But I don't want your first-born. Knowing your luck, you'll get stuck with a son!" Kushina smiled as Tsume pointed at Kuromaru. "You ride, I'll run. We gotta get back to the camp. That smelly bitch is there."

"Right!" Kushina agreed, settling on Kuromaru's back and gripping the fur on the scruff of his neck. It as still damp with blood, but Kushina had other worries at the moment.

The thought of Nana fooling her friends, intending to kill the Hokage, willingly allowing young girls to be killed...it all angered Kushina. The anger began to give her strength as Tsume sealed Daijiro's body in a seal, rolling it up and shoving it in her pack. She looked around the mansion.

"Nice digs, but creepy at the same time. Let's go!" she nodded, waving for her friends, "Kuromaru, you know where to go!"

The canine barked, and Kushina cast one last look over her shoulder as she said a silent goodbye to the Momo she never knew. She had a death to avenge. Nana was going to pay.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Minato sat there, watching Kushina's chest rise and fall with each labored breath. The fire flickered and the light cast shadows across her face. She looked peaceful as she rested, though what horrors she was dreaming of, Minato could not fathom. They would be in Konoha by tomorrow at noon, and were only taking a few hours to rest at the moment. He was on guard duty while the others slept, though he would have remained awake purely to stare at Kushina's face. She moaned in her sleep every so often, and he wished he could alleviate whatever horrible dreams she was encountering.

He didn't know how long he had been staring at her as she rested on his sleeping bags, but he nearly screamed out of shock and excitement when her eyes fluttered open suddenly. He was staring into a pair of deep blue eyes, much darker than he remembered, but just as beautiful. She said nothing, staring at him for some time, and he was unsure if she were awake or if this was an effect of the poison.

"You..." she whispered, watching Minato for some time before blinking. She smiled weakly, and Minato could feel his heart skip a beat.

"Uzumaki...er, Kushina? You're awake!" he whispered frantically, his eyes darting across fire to the others. Should he wake them?

"Yeah..." she whispered in response. He crouched closer, examining her.

"H-How do you feel?" he asked, concern in his voice. She tried to push herself upright, and he instinctively reached out to help her, his hand resting on her shoulder, "You should take it easy!"

"I'll be alright, thanks," she replied sweetly, an innocence to her voice that he had never heard.

Her smile made his heard skip a beat as she looked up at him, the fire softening her features. She reached out and placed a hand on his knee. He looked down at it, confused by her movement. He said nothing.

"You were worried about me, weren't you?" she asked, studying him carefully, her smile still on her lips, "Sweet boy."

"I was on duty, and it was my duty to ensure that you did not have any, er, complications of the, uh, poison," he explained, avoiding her adoring looks.

"Poison?" she gasped, her fingers reaching up to touch her lips. The move was breaking Minato's heart. He said nothing as her eyes grew wide. "And you...were watching over me?"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Thank you, you are very...kind," she whispered, her tongue darting out to brush over her lips.

He felt his own breath hitch in his throat. She inched closer to him, propping herself up on her knees and looking into his eyes. She reached out and squeezed his hand. What was happening? This was unlike the Kushina he knew, though he had dreamed about this for years.

"Thank you...er," she blushed, "For taking care of me. I appreciate everything you've done."

He wanted to brush the strand of red hair from her face, but he was frozen in place. She raised herself up, planting both hands on his shoulders as she looked into his eyes, "At least let me repay the favor?"

It was innocent enough. He realized he had stopped breathing as she watched him, her lips inching closer to his. He said nothing, not resisting as her breath caressed his cheeks and she softly brushed her lips against his. The feeling was tantalizing and he was glad that he was already on the ground. The sweet innocence she had been displaying quickly diminished as she wrapped her arms around his neck, hungrily pressing her lips to his and prying his mouth open with her tongue. He had kissed other girls before, though not like this. He had never wanted anything so much in his life. And, right now, his dreams were coming true. He could barely breathe, and he tried to pull away for air, but her grip prevented him from doing so. Something was setting off an internal alarm, and he tried to pry her hands from his neck, but she only tightened her grip, straddling his lap. He put his hands on her waist, trying to push her away.

"Kushina!" he mumbled into her lips.

"Stop talking!" she groaned.

Her grip was hurting him and something was telling him this was not _right. _Perhaps it was an after effect of the poison. Perhaps she didn't know what was going on...

"Well, looks like we made it just in time. I'm getting' good a this, no?" came Tsume's voice. Minato and the fake Kushina quickly pulled apart as Tsume glared at both of them. "I leave you two alone for how long and you try to screw like rabbits? Shame!"

"Tsume!" Minato breathed, catching the movement around them as his comrades were stirring, "It's not-"

"Yeah, whatever," Tsume growled, rolling her eyes, "But, I hate to break it to you, you're making out with an imposter."

"Huh?" Minato quickly stood, as the girl took a few steps back. "What are you talking about? Explain, Inuzuka!"

Tsume tsked, shaking her head, "That's not Kushina, moron!"

The imposter laughed nervously, "Tsume, now you _know_ it's me!"

Tsume pointed to her nose, "It never lies, bitch. And neither does ugly, because it puts off one hell of a rancid odor."

Minato peered at the Kushina look-alike in front of him, suddenly wary. She stared at him, pleadingly-as if asking him to stop this nonsensical conversation.

"How can you be sure?" he asked Tsume, his eyes narrowed as his fingers traced over the kunai at his waist. Could have have been blind? Or was this some cruel trick?

"Because I'm the real Uzumaki Kushina, Whirlpool Kunoichi Extraordinaire," someone answered from behind Tsume as a large ninken carried her forward. Deep azure eyes stared at the imposter, her jaw set in anger as her crimson hair blew about. "We meet again, Nana."


	26. Titian's Revenge

**A/N: Sorry? REALLY sorry? Yeah...so new chapter? When life gets busy and hectic, you all help me continue to focus and develop this story. So, a huge THANK YOU to everyone: readers, reviewers, adds, faves!**

**Please, keep it up: RxR! Makes my day. I wrote and re-wrote this chapter so much, and this is my final draft. I wanted to approach it as a dramatic back and forth between observers and Kushina-so it switches quickly and often, hope you can keep up! ^_^ **

**_Guys..._we're getting there! *makes kissy sounds* :3  
**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. And yes, my OC's can be bitches. **  
**

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Minato's eyes widened slightly as he looked over Kushina while she slowly climbed from Kuromaru's back. She was donning a deep blue dress that was tattered—except for the jonin vest she was wearing over it. Minato assumed it was Tsume's vest, as the dog-nin did not have hers. The hem of Kushina's dress looked to have been hacked off at the knees, revealing bruised legs and lack of footwear. Bright blue eyes studied the kunoichi warily.

_How had she come to wear _that? he wondered.

He could see blood spatter on her shoulder and neck, though it looked to have dried long ago. Her right arm hung somewhat limply at her side as she took a few steps forward, her gaze fixed on the girl next to Minato. As Kushina stepped closer to the fire, Minato's eyes grew wide. She had a blackened eye and her lip was split. Those, however, were not what disturbed him the most. He could handle seeing her injured, but it was the wound from her neck to her collarbone, the skinned wrists, and the finger-mark bruises on her jaw that angered him. He could barely control his fury as his fists tightened instinctively. What monster had done this? What, exactly, had she suffered?

"You're wounded," he blurted, his voice high-pitched. He cringed, realizing it was not the most intuitive of observations.

Kushina's gaze flickered toward him before quickly snapping back to the imposter. She said nothing, clenching her jaw in anger. Toward whom she was angry, however, remained yet to be determined.

"Woulda been a lot worse had I not arrived when I did," Tsume muttered, her voice a low growl as her eyes flashed at the memory, "was about to have his way with her."

Minato's eyes grew rounder as the imposter threw her head back and laughed deeply, "Her? _Her?_ She is _not _his type. No no no, not quite..._up to par_..."

"Oh yeah?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, doing her best to suppress her anger, "I got _this_ from resisting him." She pointed to the marks on her face, her eyes never leaving her enemy's face. "Seems he couldn't keep his hands off of me."

The girl hissed, not breaking form, as she quickly snatched Minato's kunai before slicing at him with it. He jumped back, another one immediately in hand as he prepared to retaliate.

"Wait," Kushina interjected, her tone gruff. "Don't. Even. Think. About. It. Namikaze. She's mine."

"But..." Minato attempted to argue, not taking his eyes from the imposter,"You're in no condition!"

"Heh," Kushina answered simply. "Ration pills. I'll be fine. But thanks for your _concern_, Minato."

Fiery cobalt scrutiny remained on Nana as Kushina calmly spoke. Minato's eyes widened at her words, his cheeks blazing at her inference. So she had manage to catch some of what occurred between him and the imposter.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Tsume interrupted, "You can't blame him, really, Kushina. Without a nose like mine, she would _look _like you. Can't fault a boy for dreamin'."

Minato groaned, Tsume was not helping. He raised his hands in frustration, "She came on to _me_!"

"Hah!" Nana shrilly cackled.

"Enough! You two, get out of here!" Kushina ordered,suddenly, glaring ahead angrily. "Tsume, keep up the sleeping jutsu over the others! I don't want any interference until I'm finished."

"Got it," Tsume nodded, quickly leaping out of the invisible perimeter that had been set up before their arrival.

Minato had an inkling that Kushina had something up her sleeve. He also knew that it was her pride on the line, and if he got in the way of that, he would regret it. He carefully took a step backward, though more hesitantly than Tsume. His eyes remained on the red-haired kunoichi.

The real Kushina.

"I'm fine, dammit! Now just go!" she challenged, her eyes sending him a silent message that he could only assume he comprehended. He nodded, casting one last glance at the imposter as he leaped away.

"Oh, and Namikaze?"

"Hnh?" he asked as he crouched where he landed, next to Tsume.

"We _are _going to talk. Later. Believe it," she grunted unenthusiastically, still not looking at him. Minato was unsure if she were intentionally not making eye contact. His eyes grew round as he realized he would have some explaining to do.

Tsume chuckled, and he shot her an angry look, "You're not helping. And I'm your superior."

"Yer not acting like it! Making out with the enemy..."

"Dammit, I already told you..." he whispered, trailing off in defeat. She was right. He wouldn't write her up for her insubordination. He would have too much explaining to do. To everyone. He decided to change the topic, "She has a plan, right?"

"Her? She's been plotting this since we left the mansion, I could practically smell it!" Tsume crossed her arms over her chest, staring ahead thoughtfully, "She can handle herself, you know."

_I know that, _Minato silently answered her,_but, she shouldn't have to!_

He did not reply, allowing his mind to digest what he had experienced over the past few minutes. How had he been so idiotic? Did he really think that the Kushina he knew would magically fall in love with him? Want to kiss him? This girl was too forward, too needy. He should have known, but his concern clouded his better judgment. As did his feelings for the red head.

_You really did it this time, _he told himself, seething in his stupidity.

His gaze flickered to the imposter. She did look exactly like Kushina, so there was no way for him to truly know without a heightened sense or ability that would allow him to do so. He had heard of such Transformation Techniques—where the user could flawlessly take on the appearance and abilities of their intended target, though their smell, mannerisms, and sometimes voice could be distinguished by a very perceptive observer. He, however, was not one of those.

_How are you going to be a Hokage if you make these kinds of mistakes? _he asked himself. This girl was nothing like Kushina. She was awkward, crude, and slovenly—everything Kushina was not. He should have known. _Should have_.

_But didn't. _

"Don't kick yourself too much," Tsume whispered, "'Bout the only chance _you'd _ ever have to make out with Kushina, no?" She chuckled, her voice low and rumbling. Minato felt his cheeks flush.

"I can write you up, you know," he replied through clenched teeth.

"I know," Tsume shot back, "But ya won't. You'll have to explain _this _to the Hokage. So you'll have to bear with me while I amuse myself."

Minato bit his lip, his anger boiling. Kushina looked to be in no condition to fight. He wanted to help her. To save her. He felt Tsume's grip on his arm, and he looked at her expectantly.

Her slitted pupils returned his questioning gaze, "Don't even think about it. She can handle it. If you jump in now, whatever chance you may ever have with her will be-" she snapped her fingers in emphasis, "Zilch. Nada. Got it?"

Minato said nothing, feeling some sort of momentary bond with the Inuzuka kunoichi. From her face, he could tell she wasn't being facetious—she was genuinely offering friendly advice. Was it _that_ obvious that he was interested in the Uzumaki heiress? He pretended to ignore Tsume's comment, glancing back to where the real Kushina was facing off against the imposter.

"Whatever," he muttered under his breath, "Not my concern. I don't want anyone hurt under my watch. If I think she needs help, I'm jumping in."

"Your funeral, Namikaze," Tsume whistled, shaking her head and chuckling, "Your funeral."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

The Kushina look-alike laughed, "Looks like who-kissed-who is a point of contention."

"Shut up," Kushina snapped, her feet spreading apart, "I'm gonna end this quickly! For Momo."

"Oh, her?" Nana cackled, "She was apparently a tough kill. Really fought back, apparently. Had a will to live."

Kushina snarled, her anger rising. The words were venom on her tongue, "You're nothing but a puppet. You were being used. In fact.." she changed tactics, calling over her shoulder, "Tsume? What was it Daijiro said about her?"

"Disposable, I think it was," Tsume answered back, playing along, "Wait..no...yup, that was it."

"You...you're lying," Nana hissed, not breaking her nearly flawless transformation. She held the unsteady kunai in front of her, the blade reflecting the flickering fire light.

"Am I?" Kushina raised an eyebrow calmly. "He admitted to raping and killing those girls. Every. Single. One." She held back the urge to retch at sharing that information, and her blood boiled with rage.

"He wouldn't—" Nana screamed. "Not about me! He loved me!"

"Face it, he could _care less_ about you!" Kushina yelled back, her eyes tearing as she thought about the poor victims. Defenseless women.

Nana's eyes widened, and the reaction was not missed by Kushina. She took a step forward, her right arm hanging at her side. Her voice was low, though urging, "You know...You _know _it. He didn't even care that you were in danger after Tsume reported that your little trick was revealed. Do the right thing, Nana. Surrender now!"

"No..." Nana replied, taking a step backward as her kunai-wielding hand trembled.

Kushina squinted at the tag attached to the hilt, her lips pursing slightly. She glanced toward Tsume, who nodded, grinning ferociously. Minato was studying the girl, saying nothing.

"His death was called for, but yours does not have to be. He manipulated you," Kushina shared, fighting back the murderous intent that was threatening to surface. She was sickened at how much she wanted to destroy this woman. To kill her. Despite her rage, she felt slightly guilty at using Daijiro's words against Nana. Taunting her with them.

"Daijiro's...dead?" she whispered, taking another step backward as the information sank in.

Nana's face fell, and her eyes wandered to the ground. Kushina's mind screamed for her to attack, to maim the young woman. But, the kunoichi simply stood there in silence, allowing her enemy to take in what she had just shared. She nodded, feeling nothing at delivering _that _news.

"No..." Nana whispered, her misty eyes meeting Kushina wary gaze. They were Kushina's eyes. The Leaf kunoichi couldn't help but feel awkward at seeing herself cry. Even if it wasn't _truly_ her...

The imposter's face metamorphosed from disbelieve to anger, and her eyes grew dark with rage as her hand trembled.. Knuckles turned white from her grip on Minato's kunai, "You...you do not speak the truth! I will cut out your lying tongue!"

Her words were filled with venom and intent as she took another step backward. As she did so, she brought her hands together, slowly fading into her surroundings. Soon, Nana was invisible—adeptly camouflaging herself with the environment. Kushina's brow furrowed; she hadn't expected this. The woman had seemed so ungifted when it came to jutsu and chakra control. How could she so easily disappear? Kushina's eyes darted around, she couldn't detect so much as a footpint! The thundering of blood in her ears drowned out any movement of Nana's that could be perceived. Kushina braced herself, thinking furiously of how to counter her enemy's move. If she didn't think of something, and quickly, she would become the hunted, once again.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Shit," Tsume murmured under her breath, her eyes narrowing, "That wasn't expected."

Minato said nothing, quickly recognizing the kekkai genkai; he had seen it before! There was a Genin team during the Chuunin Exam a few years back that had a young man displaying a similar technique. Minato remembered that one of the lesser shinobi villages in the west was, at one time, renown for having a clan with that particular trait—making them formoidible spies, some for hire. The family had fled the forces during the Second Ninja War, never to be heard from again. It had been assumed they had been killed sometime during the war...

_Flawless Transformation_, it had been called. The user can transform into his or her target simply by touching them and performing a few hand seals. It rendered the user as an exact clone—body, voice, and even techniques, given the user had studied his or her victim beforehand or during the transformation. Mimicking techniques were easy, using ones that were not natural to oneself were not. As long as Kushina did not overtly display herself to Nana, the woman would not have the advantage of knowing what kind of jutsu user Kushina may be.

The particular clan, he remembered, had apparently been able to imperceptibly fade into the background—literally, it seemed. They were undetectable to anyone unable to physically "see" chakra, making the technique useful amongst most shinobi. Few could "see" chakra, and the only two clans that Minato could recall that could were the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan—both with their own kekkai genkai. Perhaps this clan was a distant relative of Konoha's elite families, though that was pure speculation on Minato's part. Regardless, he remembered having to retrieve the body of a young male during that particular exam. The teen happened to be the unfortunate victim of another team's attack—one of Konoha's genin teams, or so he thought. It wasn't intended, as the boy was in the wrong place at the wrong time, no doubt spying on other teams. His poor luck led to his death, and Minato could still remember the wails of his young sister as she identified the body.

"Kekkai genkai," the blonde jonin confirmed, his voice low as he watched Kushina. "Kushina, be careful, dammit."

"Oh shit," Tsume breathed, taking in what Minato had shared, "I don't think she was expecting this."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina stood still, closing her eyes and listening carefully. She had long ago assumed that this girl had a valuable trait that kept Daijiro from leaving her. Despite being able to tell that the girl had no formal training as a shinobi, she was still deadly on a different level. She could easily sneak up on Kushina, killing her with a well-placed blow. But, Kushina was not in the mood to play games. She had been stabbed, beaten, and nearly taken against her will. She was not to be trifled with. She was, however, feeling weak from the loss of blood, and Tsume's pill couldn't replenish that. She knew what time she had was limited, and she would have to act quickly.

"You won't be able to go far," Kushina called out, "I've set up a perimeter of exploding tags that will go off if you so much as breathe on the barrier."

A shrill, angry scream rang out as Kushina's words set in.

_To my right, ten meters away, _she told herself, maintaining her calm had anticipated the woman, once cornered, would flee. Kushina had used a few clones to set up the barrier encampment to prevent the imposter from escaping. Any move through the barrier would be instant death to Kushina's opponent. After a few seconds of silence, deep blue eyes opened. Still, she saw nothing: no movement, no footprints.

Maybe she had underestimated the young woman too much...

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Can't smell her," Tsume scratched her head in frustration.

"You wouldn't be able to. It's a kekkai genkai that involves total obscurity," Minato shared, crouching down and putting his fingers on the ground.

"But I could smell her before!" Tsume pouted. Kuromaru yipped.

Minato glanced at the duo, "This is different than before, I'm certain. Now, she knows her enemy, she will take care to mask her presence more carefully..."

"You seem to know a lot about her abilties!" Tsume raised an eyebrow.

Minato shook his head, "Too long to explain, but the short version is that there was a boy at the Chuunin Exam a few years back that had a similar ability. We thought he was a member of the Koichi Clan—a family that lived in one of the small, loyal villages out west. They were skilled spies, able to mask their appearance, almost flawlessly with a little research. They could transform into their opponents or their environment. Only someone like a Hyuuga or Uchiha could spot them."

"We have both of those here, with us," Tsume pointed toward the slumbering bodies in front of them, "We could use 'em."

"We could," Minato smirked, his gaze sliding toward her, "But didn't you say that'd be the death of me if I interfered?"

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina couldn't detect _anything—_not even a shadow! Whatever Camouflage Technique the girl was using, it was effective beyond anything Kushina had ever witnessed. She knew it was not necessarily about precision, but being able to manipulate the area around oneself, making the user appear invisible. Her mind raced as she tried to think of something she could do. She recalled a jutsu Jiraiya had taught her one week prior to her promotion to jonin. She had sheepishly begged the Sage to help her become more powerful. She wanted to become the strongest, and therefore, she needed to learn from the strongest. And who better to teach her than a Sannin?

Because it was Jiraiya, there was an exchange in services, of course. One that still made Kushina grimace to this day. One that involved a Sexy no Jutsu. He had caved to her every whim, and she used that to her advantage, of course—though it was not one of her proudest moments. Thinking back, she had never truly mastered _that _technique...so could she do it now?

Kushina's eyes darted around. If she could use Jiraiya's technique, she could at least detect where Nana was hiding or preparing for an attack. All she needed to do was to incapacitate the woman, as she had no intention of killing her. No, that would be too kind. Despite her hatred for the woman, Kushina knew that Nana was nothing more than a tool. A foolish, weak tool. She had been taken advantage of by Daijiro, though Kushina was not disillusioned to the severity of Nana's participation in such horrid behavior. She was far from innocent, but her motives were misguided and she was taken advantage of all the same.

_Just like the others. _

Somehow, Kushina didn't think the real Momo would want revenge at her expense. No, bloodshed didn't seem to be in her demeanor, though Kushina never met the young, unfortunate victim. She could only honor the memory of someone who did not deserve the death that was dealt to her. Besides, Kushina was well aware that the Interrogation Squad would not be kind to Nana, another motivating factor in her decision to not kill the imposter...

"Had enough?" Kushina called out. "Ready to end this?"

Silence.

Kushina closed her eyes, raising one hand in front of her palm facing to the right as she raised her forefinger and middle finger to touch her lower lip. She curled her other fingers downward as she brought her other hand upward, so that her fingers could quickly flicker through the movements.

"Kekkai: Tengai Hojin!" she whispered into her fingertips as she felt the chakra rise above her, forming a dome.

Kushina breathed deeply as she concentrated, saying nothing and remaining unmoving. She willed the invisible dome to spread away from her, surprised at the ease at which she was able to do so. She hadn't been able to expand the dome this easily before, though it had been a few years since she tried. Perhaps her chakra control had improved that much, or perhaps it was the Ration Pill that repleted her lost chakra. Either way, it was Jiraiya's tutelage that she had reaped the benefits of, and she made a mental note to thank the perverted shinobi at a later date. Maybe.

She reached outward, looking for any signs of life as she scanned the area. She concentrated on the slight movement of a squirrel as it bounded from tree branch to tree branch. A bird bathed in a puddle on the ground, oblivious to the goings-on around it. Farther, she pressed range grew, and she was approaching the boundary of her encampment barrier.

_Flicker_.

Behind her. Close.

"Aha!" Kushina yelled, "I got you now!"

Her eyes snapped open, the pupils constricting against the light. She deftly leaped aside, her hair flowing following her movement like a crimson tied. A tiny flutter of movement could be seen as blood beaded along Kushina's left cheek and a few strands of red hair floated to the ground. The kunoichi leaned backward, avoiding a slice that barely missed the tip of her nose. She reached up, trying to fend off the invisible intruder. She had been fortunate enough to recognize the movement before Nana attacked her from behind, perceiving it at the last moment, before a kunai plunged into her neck. The blow was intended to kill.

Kushina struggled with the loss of that sense, no longer having the time to concentrate or the luxury of a chakra-sensing ability. She could see the air move around Nana as the woman screeched, slashing at Kushina with an invisible kunai—the one she had stolen from Minato so effortlessly. Kushina punched, missing her opponent, only to feel the red hot pain of a kunai tip plunging into her palm. The kunoichi bit her tongue to prevent herself from screaming. Nana's invisibility was frustrating and Kushina's temper flared.

"I'll kill you," Nana snarled, venom in her voice, "For Daijiro."

"For the man who used you? Ha!" Kushina goaded. The only way she could land a decent attack is to let Nana get close enough to land one of her own...

"He didn't use me! I _knew _what he was doing. The _entire time!_" she spat back. "I _welcomed it!_ I _liked_ it! I _watched_!"

Kushina's eyes grew round at Nana's revelation. How could anyone say that? Shewas a willing and knowing accomplice? Kushina had been wrong in her assumptions! Grossly wrong. Her mind realled at Nana's revelation. It was her turn to be in shock at the cruelty of the world and its people.

"I seduced that artist to give Dai the time to do what he wanted—what he _needed_!" she laughed, haughtily, her voice throaty, "He couldn't control himself, so what better way to prove my love to him? My undying devotion!"

Kushina felt a wave of nausea as her body grew cold at Nana's confession.

The imposter continued, her voice a cackling screech as she confessed her sins, "That little bitch deserved to die! I finished what he started!"

"Wha?" Kushina gasped, her face ashen.

"Yes! Yes! See? She was _still alive_, when he was done! So I asked her how she enjoyed my _seconds_," Nana cooed, "And you know what she did? She spit in my face! So I cut her tongue off before slicing her throat!"

"H-How?" Kushina croaked, her eyes blank as her shoulders slumped in defeat. _How could you do that? _she had wanted to ask, but her voice failed her. She steadied herself as she suddenly grew numb at Nana's gruesome admission. She reeled from the sadistic couple's revelations these past few hours, her body in total shock; her feet like lead blocks.

"Easily! I hacked each of those bitches to pieces before disposing of their bodies. They all made me sick, the way they pretended to enjoy what Daijiro did to them in hopes of being released! And now, now I will show you _how_!" Nana yelled, triumphant as her form shimmered into view as she lifted her arm to land the final blow.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"KUSHINA!" Minato yelled, as he watched the exchange betwee the women, "Get out of there!"

"Shit," Tsume growled, "It's a suicide mission! She's not even preventing that bitch's attack!"

Minato turned toward her, "Find those tags and remove them! NOW!"

"Right!" Tsume's eyes were wide as she created a clone. Minato did the same, though creating two so that he could wait there for the moment when the barrier dissipated. Combined with Kuromaru, that made five plus the original Minato. If they could find those tags...

_Kushina, forgive me!_

_

* * *

_

**~OoOoO~**

_

* * *

_

Kushina stumbled backward as the kunai pierced the same shoulder Nana had injured earlier. She felt a flashing hot pain radiate down her arm and up into her neck as she blinked away her confusion. She looked down as the blood soaked through Tsume's vest. She gasped at the pain, her eyes growing wide.

"Just. Like. That," Nana moved closer, breathing heavily.

For a brief instant, Kushina could see her as she lowered her guard. Her eyes were wild as the original chestnut color returned. The recognition was enough to sober Kushina—to wake her up from her shock. She quickly reached out and grabbed Nana's wrist with her right hand, her mouth slowly turning upward into a cruel smile, despite her injuries.

"What?" Nana asked, bewildered. She shimmered once again, solidifying instantaneously.

"I wanted to save this technique," Kushina whispered, her breath ragged as her lung partially collapsed.

She quickly pulled the shackles from her back pocket—the same ones Daijiro had secured around her wrists and ankles. Kushina wordlessly clamped them around Nana's wrist. The woman suddenly reappeared, her chakra flow disturbed and her technique interrupted. She wasn't entirely visible, but enough so that Kushina wouldn't lose sight of her. Nana clawed wildly at the shackle around her wrist, screaming in frustration. Kushina quickly steadied herself with a step backward, clapping her hands together. Her chakra instantly flowed to her hands, becoming visible as it swirled. It gathered an awkward momentum as she cupped her left hand away from her body, palm facing upward. The mass of energy expanded slightly as her chakra solidified.

"I haven't totally mastered it, but," Kushina shared, the corners of her mouth twitching, "this'll do."

She drew her arm back, screaming with everything she had, her eyes wide and her hair wild as the chakra spun rapidly—kicking up a gale of wind. The immature form became lopsided, dissipating some as it blew her hair about. Nana's eyes grew wide at the odd display of chakra control.

"Violent Wind Palm Modification!" Kushina yelled as she slammed her open palm, complete with the pulsating chakra sphere, into Nana's stomach.

Nana screamed at the impact, her skin and clothes shredding as if a thousand tiny razors had sliced through her. Blood spattered over Kushina as she drew her hand back, stumbling backward before she collapsed to her knees. Nana fell to the ground, not even bothering to put her hands out to stop her fall. She writhed in pain, blood staining her lips as the bluish gray chakra disappeared, leaving a few wisps of smoke as a reminder of its presence.

Somehow, Minato leaped forward, kneeling and catching Kushina as she toppled sideways, "Uzumaki!"

Kushina groaned, reaching up and pulling the kunai out of her vest. She let it tumble from her grip, "Thought I didn't notice...did ya?"

Minato clenched his jaw, realizing how foolishly easy to read he had been. Of course she would have realized he had willingly let Nana steal his tagged kunai. Had she thrown the item or dropped it, Minato would have been able to teleport there, instantly, allowing him to enter the barrier Kushina had put up to keep everyone out and Nana in.

"Sorry," he whispered, his hand pulling her vest aside to see the extent of her wound. His eyes grew wide with panic, "Shit, you need a medic!"

"Eh, minor detail," she replied, taking a breath and wincing as she waved her hand. She ignored the fact that he was awkwardly holding her, "I'll be fine."

"Like hell you will! And what was that?" he asked, referring to her last attack. He had never seen anything like it. It was similar to her wind-based attacks from their childhood, sloppy yet precise. It more closely resembled the form she could use with her blades, though she summoned the chakra to her hands without having her blades. There were no hand seals involved, and she was able to transfer it from one hand to another. It was an odd display, and could still use a more refinement.

"Something I was working on," Kushina coughed, gripping her chest and grimacing. Minato decided to hold off on further questioning. Somehow, it didn't seem to be the most important thing right now.

"That's it, I'm taking you back to Konoha! Now!" Minato tried to stand, attempting to pull Kushina up into his arms.

"Like hell you are, I can walk!" she tried to argue, struggling against him. She winced again, her body quickly growing pale from exertion.

"You've lost too much blood! Even those pills of Tsume's can't replace _that_!" his eyes grew wide as her blood loss continued to grow. Thick red fluid oozed down her cheek, and the stain on her vest continued to spread. Would the gash on her face leave a scar?

_Now's not the time to be concerned whether her face will be scarred! _he inwardly screamed.

"I _said_, in case you didn't hear the first time, Namikaze: I'll be fine," she glared at him, "Now leave me be, you damned fool!"

"No," he replied firmly, his grip tightening on her shoulder as she pushed away from him. He was not going to let her get away this time.

"Huh?" she gawked, blinking as if taken aback by his urgency.

"You heard me, Uzumaki. I am your superior, and I'm taking you back to Konoha. Right now, dammit."

"Like hell you will, I'll kill you-" she began.

"Kushina," came the calm voice. Minato jumped and Kushina glanced toward the speaker.

"Hnh?" she muttered, before her body quickly grew limp. Minato instinctively caught her for the second time that night.

"What the-" Minato began to quickly panic before looking over his shoulder, "Mikoto-san!"

He had forgotten that Tsume's jutsu would wear off if she did not replenish it. He glanced around, the others were slowly rising. He had a feeling that Mikoto had not been affected by Tsume's technique...

Red eyes returned his gaze as she pursed her lips to suppress her smile, "Just a little hypnosis. Thought you may need some help. It is Kushina, after all."

Minato nodded, "Thank you."

"She's somewhere...happy, so bide your time well," Mikoto informed him, turning to walk away, "I'm going to make sure the others are...awake now."

Minato did not argue with her, "I have to, er, get her back to Konohagakure for medical treatment."

"Sure," Mikoto waved, "I'll inform your Second-in-Command."

The blonde jonin wordlessly stared after before glancing down at the now-smiling, injured Kushina in his arms. That was much easier than he could have ever anticipated. Perhaps the Sharingan had its uses, after all. He stood, picking Kushina up into his arms and holding her against him for support as he prepared to leave his comrades and rush her back to Konoha for medical treatment. Tsume was suddenly at his side.

"Whoah," she exhaled, her eyes wide as she looked at the girl on the ground, "So that's what she looks like without all the fancy jutsu."

Minato followed her gaze, finding a barely breathing Nana sprawled on her back. Blood was caking around the large, gaping wound Kushina had inflicted. He could see intestines. If this girl were to live, it wouldn't be for long, though he was more concerned about others over the imposter, no matter the mission. His team would come first—as wise shinobi had taught him that...

"We need to get Inoichi. Now," Minato ordered, authoritatively as his eye studied Nana's face.

It was her! It was the same mousy girl he had seen years ago. The same girl who had identified her brother's body, inconsolable and desolate. He felt slightly sorry for the girl she was, no longer pitying the woman she had become.

"Your brother would be disgusted, I'm sure," he whispered to the nearly lifeless enemy.

Tsume looked at him, narrowing her eyes in question. Minato shared nothing, pulling Kushina closer to him. "She's lost a lot of blood, she needs a medic. A good one!"

"Get her back to Konoha already, will ya? Jeesh, I'm tired of your talk, Namikaze!" Tsume rolled her eyes. Kuromaru barked his agreement.

Minato turned away hiding his smile. He looked over his shoulder, "I will leave Shikaku in charge, so if you don't listen to him, you'll have to deal with _me. _Got it, Inuzuka?"

Tsume saluted emphatically, "Aye aye cap'n!"

Minato quickly disappeared, whisking a hypnotized Kushina away with him. Tsume watched, shaking her head in amusement, "Those two deserve each other."

Kuromaru yipped his agreement again. Tsume patted him on the head, glancing once again at the barely-living girl on the forest floor. Her brown hair was splayed about, her features mousy and her dark eyes visible under heavy, half-closed lids. Tsume leaned down to examine her more closely, her lids narrowing in scrutiny. She stood like that for some time.

"Hmmph," she finally straightened as she heard her comrades approaching. She crossed her arms over her chest, casting one last look at the enemy as she surrendered her prisoner to the Interrogation Representative.

"I'm _definitely _better lookin' than her!"


	27. Betting Men

**A/N: thank you all for your kind words! Much appreciation from me! A lot of you noticed a certain similarity between Kushina's final wind-based attack against Nana and Minato's Rasengan. I did want to address some of the comments, quickly. Perhaps it was my manner of writing it, but I did not intend to mean that _Kushina_ developed Rasengan. The original technique creates a gust of wind, but Kushina's version causes compressed chakra in the hand, in which she has more precise control of it—not that she is any good with that! In an earlier chapter (Chuunin exams), I had her use a similar technique in which Kushina summoned her chakra in a manner similar to her blades. I wanted to create a weakness for her, mainly her ability to control that vast amount of chakra, giving her poor execution of related jutsu. I intended, ironically, for this area of weakness to be what inspired Minato. Perhaps I made it too obvious, but I do not want it to come off as "Kushina developed Rasengan". Nope, not my intention. Minato and Minato alone created, though he did use Kushina's poorly executed/controlled technique as his inspiration. I hope that I conveyed that properly, or I'll be editing that chapter! The technique that I had her modify was actually one of Nagato's techniques (I think), which I feel ties in nicely to the Uzumaki heritage (if you are up-to-date on the manga). So, final message: Kushina inspired Rasengan, Minato created it, Naruto finished it. All in the family—where I like to keep it!**

**Ah, I do love all of you! Thank you all so very very much! Hope you enjoy! RxR as always-this is a bit of a relaxing chapter. Next chapter should be...amusing ;)**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just creatin' OCs!_

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* * *

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**~OoOoO~**

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* * *

**

_Beep! _

_Beep!_

_Beep! _

Kushina stretched out her arm, slamming it against the table next to her. Her fist connected with a firm, smooth surface as she tried to silence the intrusive noise.

_Beep! _

_Beep! _

_Damn alarm, _she inwardly growled, her mind sluggish. _Just a few more minutes! _

_Beep! Beep!_

Kushina tried to open her eyes, but the bright light hurt her. She could feel the bounding pulse in her temple as she gritted her teeth.

"Honey, I'm not sure what you're doing, but you're failing at it," came a soft, chirping voice.

The nasally inflection of the woman's voice made Kushina cringe. It reminded her of the librarian she and Ken used to annoy when they were genin. Kushina grunted her reply, squinting as she opened one eye to identify who was in her room. Her body felt eerily heavy as she tried to shield her eyes. She spotted the woman at the foot of her bed, clipboard tucked against her chest as her deep chocolate eyes flickered over Kushina's face. She was not wearing standard nurse's attire, but her jacket told Kushina she was some sort of medic. Her raven-colored hair was neatly tucked into a bun, contrasted by her creamy skin. She had a heart-shaped face with rose lips and a straight, upturned nose.

Kushina had no idea who she was.

"Who're you, and why are you in my room?" she rasped, licking her lips. They were cracked, and the tiny moisture Kushina could afford stung them.

"Here," the woman replied sweetly, handing Kushina a tiny cup of clear liquid. She smiled, revealing high, perfect cheekbones, "I'm sure you're thirsty. You haven't had anything to eat or drink for a while."

"Hnh?" Kushina opened both eyes, using her hands to shield them from the light.

The woman quickly strode to the window, deftly shutting the blinds, "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks," Kushina replied groggily, sipping slowly from her straw. The raw feeling of thirst tore through her, and she quickly guzzled down the rest of the warm, stale liquid. She held out her cup when she finished, her voice barely above a croak, "More, please?"

The woman chuckled, "Sure thing."

Kushina watched her with weary eyes as the woman languidly walked toward the sink, her moves smooth and lithe. The redhead took a long look around her room, realizing she was in the hospital. Her heart began to race.

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _

"You wanna calm yourself? I don't want to have to use the paddles on you again, Kushina," the woman nodded toward the machine next to Kushina's bed—the one she had mistaken for an alarm clock a few minutes before.

Kushina glanced at her chest, her trembling fingers peeling away the gown and revealing the almost-healed burns. Her right shoulder was still bandaged, and she vaguely remembered being injured. Twice, if she recalled correctly. She traced the tiny wires from the machine to their sticky mounts on her chest, realizing that the beeping was her heart beat.

"Where am I?" she choked, her body feeling weak. She eyed the IV that was snaking into her forearm. A thick, white fluid slowly oozed into her bloodstream. She grimaced at it.

"You're in Konoha Hospital. Seventh floor, to be exact. Intensive Care. You lost a lot of blood by the time Namikaze-san brought you here. We had to shock you," the woman nodded, smiling grimly, "...which explains the odd burns you have on your chest."

Kushina peered down her gown. She couldn't remember much of the past few hours. "How long have I been here?"

"Three weeks," the brunette answered brightly. As if it were perfectly normal.

"THREE WEEKS?" Kushina roared, her eyes growing round. _Three freakin' weeks? In here?_

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Beepbeepbeep!_

"I will only ask you nicely, once more. If you do not calm down, I will have no qualms with giving you something to do so," her dark eyes glinted their seriousness as she watched Kushina carefully.

Kushina shrank down into her bed, eyeing the woman with muted fear. She said nothing, watching the medic quietly go back to scribbling on the chart before replacing it at the foot of Kushina's bed.

"You scared the Hokage pretty badly, by the way," the woman mused as her eyes scanned the paperwork she had pulled from the folder she was carrying, "I've never seen him so unsettled. Put the hospital in an uproar that he insisted on staying here nearly every waking minute."

"The old man wanted to stay? With me?" Kushina whispered, more to herself.

"_That's_ what you call him?" the medic's eyes widened in disbelief, her face paling.

Kushina's gaze flickered over the woman. She was becoming annoyed with the medic's manner of speaking to her—as if she were lecturing the Uzumaki heiress. The woman couldn't be much older than Kushina, and she was almost positive she remembered the woman from the Academy.

"Yeah, what about it?" Kushina challenged, her lower eyelid twitching and her jaw clenching.

"Just...interesting," the medic shrugged. She adjusted the sheets on the bed, saying nothing, a smile on her face. Kushina leaned back, closing her eyes. She could hear faint steps around the room as the medic's shoes tapped softly on the tile floor.

She could hear the clearing of a throat, "Your, er, boyfriend is very attentive, you are extremely lucky."

"Huh?" Kushina's eyes snapped open. _What boyfriend?_

"The dark haired one...Ken, I think it is," the woman blushed slightly as she recounted his visits to Kushina..

"He's not my _boyfriend_!" Kushina nearly spat. She felt an odd twinge of nostalgia. Then anger. How dare he visit her after not talking to her in forever!

"He's not?" the woman eyed Kushina curiously, her expression somewhat...hopeful.

"Well, at one time, yeah, but not now!" Kushina blurted, her face turning red, "He was my teammate!"

_Smooth answer, Kushina. Real smooth._ She wanted to shrivel up and die, especially with the way this nurse—or whatever she was—was curiously watching her. Why couldn't she just say "no" and leave it at that?

"I see...then..." the woman angled her head slightly, her eyes downcast as her hands smoothed the wrinkled sheets once again, "He's...available?"

"Guess so," Kushina mumbled, taken aback by the woman's awkward forwardness, "What 'bout it?"

"N-Nothing!" the nurse replied quickly, now busying herself with Kushina's IV, "Then is Namikaze-san your boyfriend? He's cute, too!"

"_That_ jackass? " Kushina scoffed at the woman's quick recovery. "Not a chance in hell!"

"Really? I rather think he likes you," she tsked, "Shame to let him go."

"Look, lady, I will only say this once: that idiot is _not_ my boyfriend. Not now. Not ever."

"If you say so," she paused, hesitating for a brief moment, "But...but you should know that he's been sleeping in that chair every night since he brought you in."

Kushina followed the medic's index finger, noticing the folded blanket on the lumpy chair near the window. She was somewhat startled by that news, though able to quickly mask her surprise. She pulled the covers up to her neck, blinking rapidly.

"Not my problem. He's a big boy, and can do what he wants. I didn't ask him to sleep there," she argued, raising her nose to the air.

"Is that so?" the brunette whispered, her eyes out of focus as she stared at the empty chair, "I'd say that you're missing out on a good thing. Not many men are willing to remain off duty to stay bedside a woman who doesn't return their feelings."

"Huh? Off-duty?" Kushina echoed, dismissing her more rude retort before it reached her tongue. Minato was refusing missions to stay in the hospital? With her?

The medic nodded softly, "Oh dear me, I've said enough, haven't I? You're right, I should butt out. If you need anything else—anything at all, just ring your buzzer, and I'll be in to help you, got it?"

Kushina nodded, still confused and numbed by the woman's confession. Soft pink lips smiled at her before sweeping out of the room. The door quietly closed, leaving Kushina alone, her only accompaniment being the obnoxious beeping that told her that heart was racing.

Minato passed by the front desk, waving at the women as they giggled, some blushing when he made eye contact. He hated that they fawned over him, but at the same time, he got whatever he wanted. If that were a meal at nine o'clock at night, then so be it.

"Minato-san," a woman bowed politely.

"Hello," he murmured in return, his eyes flickering over her as she snapped upright, her slender hands straightening her uniform.

She was around his age, and he was almost positive she was on one of the teams that graduated from the Academy around his year. She had been speaking with Ken more and more during the shinobi's visits. Minato could almost swear that there was something more between the two, and he couldn't deny that it gave him a sense of relief. It would mean the dark-haired jonin wouldn't be hovering around Kushina, sending him angry glares as he had done on so many occasions. In fact, since Kushina's hospitalization, Ken had been warming up to the blonde jonin, even speaking to Minato on his on volition from time to time.

Minato made his way down the hall, toward her room. He could still vividly recall carrying Kushina into the hospital, blood soaked and dripping with sweat. He had ran the remaining distance back to Konoha, never once stopping to rest. Kushina had mumbled incessantly the entire time, calling out his name during a few instances. She had giggled, and she had cried. She had cursed and smiled, her countenance filled with an innocent happiness. It had only been that last stretch—when her body grew cold and she began to shiver furiously—that he grew fearful.

Her heart had stopped that day. And he had nearly died as they tore her away from him, ripping her shirt open and sticking those paddles to her chest. He could vividly recall how her eyes rolled up in her head as her body seized from the electrical current they shot through her. She had gone into shock from her extensive blood loss, the doctor had explained to both Minato and the Hokage. Even Asuma had been around for some of that conversation, quickly storming off when her prognosis was given as "not good". Once her heart was re-started and IV fluids were administered, as well as large quantity of blood, her vitals stabilized.

She had nearly died...

…And he had almost lost her.

He had not left her side since. Well, aside from the mornings, when he would go out to train. During his run home with her clasped tightly in his arms, he had recounted the odd display of chakra usage by Kushina during her final attack. It had been sloppy and misguided, but there was something about it that made him want to explore it more. He was aware that she could use both water and wind-based attacks, but her precision was poor. She had never thrived in that area, making her future as a medic-nin practically (and safely) non-existent. She had come a long way since their childhood, being able to combine her chakra element with her fighting style—something that made her a dangerous opponent. She excelled with nature transformation, but did not flourish when it came to shaping her chakra. Despite this, her ability to summon vast quantities was admirable, even by his standards.

In fact, that was the second time she had used an attack like that. He recalled her using something similar during the Chuunin Exams. She had initiated her attack properly, but her execution was lacking, despite its effectiveness. Regardless, something about it spurred him to suffer a bout of sudden experimentation. What if he could refine her technique, making it into something that required no hand seals while drawing upon one's chakra control and precision? Could he create such a technique-the ultimate attack? He chuckled as he walked down the sterile hallway. Who would have imagined that he—Namikaze Minato—would be using the clumsy Uzumaki's technique as inspiration for something substantial? Not even _he_ had predicted _that_. He had been unable to predict a lot of things when it came to the redhead, it seemed.

He put his hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself to find her in her bed, still in a lifeless coma. She had been this way since their arrival, and no one could tell him how long she would be like this. In fact, no one knew if she would ever wake up; ever be the same stubborn, fiery red-head. Minato glanced over at her, his gaze lingering for longer than necessary. She looked almost angelic as she slept, her chest slowly rising and falling, her crimson hair wildly spilling over the pillow. He blushed at the semi-inappropriate thoughts that entered his head, most of them involving him gently kissing the unconscious kunoichi. It was purely wishful thinking, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss the _real _Kushina. He had never forgiven himself for allowing Nana to deceive him, though he was aware that it was his own desire for something more that allowed him to act so foolishly.

_Like a child, _he reprimanded himself. Months of yearning had come down to that moment, and he had blindly allowed himself to be overcome by the impersonator. Minato pushed the thoughts aside as he slowly made his way to the chair next to the expansive hospital-room window. He grimaced as he approached, his back and neck still sore from the nearly-sleepless nights he'd spent in that chair.

Waiting. Hoping. Wondering.

He found his journal—where he kept every minute detail of the trials and tribulations of his training. He reached for it, suddenly drawing back, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny. Had he really left his notebook on the table? Hadn't it been on the chair? Under the small sham pillow?

_Maybe one of the nurses moved it_, he thought to himself as he scanned through the pages. Nothing was missing or out of order. He glanced over at Kushina, narrowing his eyes.

_Maybe..._

There was a gentle, hurried knock at the door, the only announcement of the Hokage's presence. The older man swept into the room, his red robe loud against the white wash of hospital walls.

"Hokage-sama," Minato murmured, bowing his head in acknowledgment.

He had spent many hours with the man as they had fretted over Kushina. Minato had always been somewhat hesitant around the aging kage, but now knew the gentle interior of Sarutobi Hiruzen. While the rest of the shinobi world feared his presence, Minato could appreciate the other side of the Hokage. The fatherly side.

"Minato," Hiruzen nodded, his tone inferring he hadn't expected anyone else.

"Hiya, pupil of mine!" came a deep, smiling voice from behind Hiruzen. The second visitor barged into the room, shoving the door open wider as he grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Jiraiya-sensei!" Minato smiled warmly. It had been forever since he had seen his former mentor, and though the circumstances weren't ideal, he was still excited to see the Toad Sage.

"Minato! How've ya been? Getting laid often?" Jiraiya wriggled his eyebrows as his smile became dangerous.

"I, uh...what kind of question is that?" Minato scratched his neck nervously, mussing his already matted blonde hair as his cheeks burned.

Bright blue eyes darted toward the unconscious kunoichi on the hospital bed—the reason they were all there. The move was not missed by Jiraiya, and not in the least unexpected. He had long hoped the two young shinobi would get over there reservations and admit their interest in one another. He had never felt anyone was more worthy of his student's heart than the red-haired refugee who had come mouthily barging into the village. She was the complement to Minato's calm, brooding nature. Kushina had street smarts while Minato had book smarts—it was a match made in heaven, though it seemed as if neither had seemed to notice _that_. Or act on it. Jiraiya would have bedded the woman by now, and he silently reminded himself that Minato had never wanted to learn his master's skill of bedding girls. Jiraiya silently chuckled at Minato's naivete, his own eyes following the jonin's hesitant gaze. His own expression sobered immediately, though hints of amusement were still etched in his features. Minato narrowed his eyes, knowing _that _expression well. He swore that Jiraiya's perverse thoughts knew no bounds.

"Still not awake, huh?" Hiruzen grunted, jerking his head toward Kushina as he attempted to light his pipe.

"E-Excuse me! You cannot smoke in here. Er-" a young male nurse bowed from the doorway, his face reddening. His eyes grew wide as a sheen of sweat beaded on his fuzzy upper lip, "Erm, I'm sorry, Hokage-sama! As you w-w-wish."

"Bah! You're right, I shouldn't be smoking," the Hokage begrudged, looking longingly at his pipe.

As if not wishing to contemplate it more, he stuffed the pipe back into the inside pocket of his robe. Over the past few weeks, that pipe had become a nervous habit of his, to the point that he didn't realize he was even smoking. Minato could distinctly remember having to drench the Hokage after the older man fell asleep with the lit pipe in his mouth. The burning pipe eventually fell from his lips and into his lap, where the robe immediately caught aflame. Minato had never seen someone move so quickly, especially not Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The young man continued to bow, nervously retreating into the hallway and quickly disappearing. Minato could hear the footsteps thundering down the hall as the young man fled, most likely out of embarrassment and horror at chastising the Hokage. The three men exchanged amused glances, as Hiruzen shrugged his shoulders and patted his breast.

"No, she's still not awake," Minato answered softly, tucking his journal into the chair cushion. Hiruzen said nothing, eyeing Kushina carefully. Jiraiya's smile grew by a fraction.

"Hear yer creating a new technique," the sage nodded slowly, his long white hair rustling slightly from the movement. It was much longer than Minato could recall, though it had been years since he saw his former teacher.

"Yes," Minato confirmed, "I still haven't decided a name. Maybe "Ultimate Jutsu" would suffice for now. It's still being developed, but I think it's coming along fairly well, given the necessary difficulty in just controlling it."

"Where'd you get the inspiration for that?" Minato's former instructor questioned, his brow furrowing with anticipation.

Jiraiya had no doubt that Minato would develop a strong and innovative jutsu. The blonde shinobi had been prodigal since his Academy days, hurrying through his education and becoming a jonin in record time. The sannin had heard some of the details from the Hokage, who had boasted of Minato's accomplishments since Jiraiya's absence. He couldn't deny the pride he felt at hearing how his pupil had grown since his being a genin. Minato would make a fine Hokage someday, even Hiruzen did not argue that. In fact, the kage was discussing his successor more and more these days. Jiraiya took notice of how much Hiruzen had aged these past handful of years. Lady Sarutobi's death had been hard on the Hokage, and Jiraiya could only imagine the impact it had on him as well as his two sons and Kushina. Asuma, though, seemed to be growing up nicely, and the toad sage wondered if the young Sarutobi had any desire to follow in his father's footsteps.

"I don't know," Minato glanced at the bed, chewing his lip briefly before his blue gaze flickered back to Jiraiya. He sucked in a deep breath, as if deciding how to answer Jiraiya's question, "Just something I had seen sort of sparked it, I guess. It's only been a few weeks that I've been working on it, and it definitely requires much more fine tuning. It's something that'll most likely take years. An experiment in progress. "

Jiraiya smirked as his eyes danced over Kushina's face. Despite his silence, he had an inkling as to what, exactly, was Minato's inspiration. It was only fitting, he supposed, though he wasn't sure that it was purposeful on Kushina's part.

"That's it? A few weeks? It looked like you'd been working on it longer than that-"

"You were spying on me?" Minato crossed his arms over his chest, his face painted with a bewildered expression.

Jiraiya laughed, "I like to keep my students in line!"

Minato smiled, shaking his head, "You'll never change, Sensei."

"No..." Jiraiya's eyes grew unfocused, "I won't, will I?"

"Any news about Tsunade?" Hiruzen was watching Kushina's breathing as he spoke to his former student.

"No," Jiraiya's countenance grew more serious, "It's like she just disappeared. Her and Dan's niece...what was her name?"

"Shiner, I think," Hiruzen answered, his eyes narrowing as his concentration remained elsewhere.

"Oh, yes, cute thing, wasn't she?" the toad sage offered, raising an eyebrow at Hiruzen, who nodded softly.

"Sensei..." Minato began, warningly. He had caught the brief, silent communication between the two older men, though he had no idea he had misunderstood it.

Jiraiya shrugged, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth upward as he turned to stare at Kushina. The room remained silent for some time.

Finally, Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest, sighing, "Kushina looks so pretty laying there innocently, doesn't she, Minato? We don't have to hear that smart mouth of hers."

Minato raised an eyebrow as he watched Hiruzen shake his head softly, suppressing a smile. Something was _definitely_ being exchanged, though he did not understand it. He refused to be goaded into whatever it was that Jiraiya was initiating.

The sannin took a step forward, his eyes on Kushina, never leaving her face as he spoke, "Almost makes you want to steal a kiss, no?"

"Sensei?" Minato pressed, suddenly feeling very wary of Jiraiya's hovering near Kushina's sleeping form, "What're you d-doing?"

Jiraiya said nothing, puckering his lips as he leaned closer, raising his eyebrows in expectation, "Hmm, Hokage-sama?"

"By all means, Jiraiya," Hiruzen grunted, nodding his head, "Do as you wish, I'm not gonna stop you if you want to kiss the girl. She is unattached."

"If the Hokage bids it, Minato," Jiraiya responded, while Minato looked on, baffled and somewhat irritated, "It's not like she'll ever _know _it. I've always wanted to kiss this little beauty..."

He leaned down, ignoring Minato as his lips once again puckered-hovering above Kushina's own pale ones. Minato's eyes widened as he realized what his former teacher was about to do—and with the Hokage's blessing, too!

"Sensei!" Minato choked, as the sage leaned even closer. His protective instincts began to kick in...

"Mmmm?" Jiraiya uttered, his eyes closed as he drew nearer to Kushina, their lips almost touching.

"J-Jiraiya, don't even think about it!" Minato blurted in a rare display of assertiveness in regards to his mentor.

The blonde jonin took a step forward, ready to end it before it began, oblivious to the twitch of Kushina's lower eyelid. His actions were never fulfilled, as Kushina's eyes quickly snapped open as her fist connected with Jiraiya's jaw.

"YOU OLD PERVERT!" she hissed as she hit him a second time.

She quickly sat upright, pulling the covers from herself as she tried to get out of bed to finish what she began. She kicked her gown aside, revealing her healing, bruised legs as she attempted to push herself to her feet. She swung at him again, her balled hand wildly slashing through the air.

"Kushina-chan!" Jiraiya blocked her third punch, cowering back near the wall and whimpering. He rubbed his reddening cheek, "You hit hard for a girl!"

"Dammit, just WHAT WERE YOU DOING?" she yelled as Minato tried his best to keep her in bed, shocked that she had suddenly become conscious. She turned to glower at Hiruzen, ignoring the restricting hands on her shoulders, "And you _let him_ do that?"

Hiruzen's mouth curved upward as he stared at her in amusement, "You were pretending to sleep. I found it a fit punishment."

"I-" Kushina's jaw fell open as her cheeks turned red. Her mouth continued to open and close, like a fish out of water.

"I think you owe me lunch," Jiraiya chuckled as he rubbed his jaw, his eyes darting to the Hokage as they twinkled his amusement.

"Hnh," Hiruzen grunted, "Guess I do."

"Lunch?" Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief, "You two had a _bet_?"

Minato stood there, dumbfounded by what had just happened, his hands immediately withdrawing from her slender shoulders. She had lost weight these past few weeks, the bones of her collarbone jutting out from the pale, mottled flesh under his fingertips.

"Eh, a nurse out there told us you were awake," Hiruzen shrugged, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, "Seems to me that its more deceptive to pretend to still be in a coma."

"Not as bad as trying to let that sleazeball," she nodded toward Jiraiya, shooting him a furious look as her face contorted into an expression of disgust, "kiss me."

"Didn't think you'd let him get that close," Hiruzen admitted, suddenly interested in his sleeves and fingernails.

"To be honest, Sarutobi-san, neither did I," Jiraiya smirked, "Think that means she likes me?"

"I..he.." Kushina trailed off, her face flushing, "I'm right here, you know! And I would rather _die _than let you kiss me!"

Minato watched her, feeling oddly discombobulated with the entire situation. Why had she been pretending to sleep? How long had she been awake? He remembered his journal was in the wrong place, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he suddenly interjected, "You were reading my journal."

Kushina said nothing, her eyes growing wide. Jiraiya and Hiruzen chuckled in unison as Minato awaited an answer, his foot tapping on the tiled floor, "Well?"

"I.." Kushina softly uttered, her jaw snapping shut and her brow knitting, "You're outta your mind if you think I want to read your shit, Namikaze."

"Sounds like she's baaaaack," Jiraiya whistled, earning him angry glares from both Kushina and Minato. Hiruzen softly snorted, watching the exchange apprehensively.

"Am I? Am I out of my mind?" he asked, somewhat to himself.

"Yes!" she snapped, falling back into bed and pulling the sheets up to her neck. She closed her eyes, turning her head away from everyone, "I need my rest. Go away, all of you! You're affecting my healing."

"Well, I'm ready to claim my lunch, old man," Jiraiya nodded toward Hiruzen. "I think we should leave these two young kids alone to argue."

Hiruzen smirked, his eyes twinkling at his former pupil's words. The two men slowly retreated from the room, Hiruzen turning to look at his foster daughter as he passed through the doorway, "Kushina?"

"Huh?" she replied, opening an eye to look at him. She was glad for the distraction of Minato's boring stare. She was almost positive there was a hole in her forehead by now.

"I'm glad you are alright. I'll be back later," his eyes darted to Minato before he left the room.

"I'll see ya later, too, Kushina-chan," Jiraiya smiled, his lower lip swollen and his cheek now purple.

"Oh no," she grumbled, sinking lower in her bed as Minato continued to stare at her. The door was still ajar, and she silently hoped that Minato was going to leave, too. When he continued to stare, she finally gave up on that hope.

"What?" she sighed, rolling her eyes before squeezing them shut, "Quit starin'."

"You read my journal," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Did not," she shot back in exasperation.

"It's not nice to lie," he retorted haughtily.

Kushina resisted a snide reply to his confident argument, "I'm not lying, jerk."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yes."

"Super positive?"

"Yes!" she was growing frustrated by his prodding.

"Would you go out to dinner with me."

"Yes!" she angrily hissed, before realizing what he said, "Wait! No! I mean-"

"Too late," he shrugged, tucking his belongings into his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, "You agreed. Unless you go back on your word?"

"You used deception!" she argued, furious that he had played her so easily. _You never go back on your word, Kushina._ _You know that_. And, apparently, so did Minato.

"And you were snooping, so we're equal, aren't we?" he asked over his shoulder as he hovered in the doorway of the room, only turning his head slightly.

His posture was filled with confidence, which only served to irk Kushina more. She opted to say nothing, rather than curse at him. She knew that he had been staying there since she had arrived, and part of her felt guilty at that knowledge. How had she reached the hospital to begin with? And why did he feel the need to stay there with her? Didn't he have anything else to do?

"Don't worry, it's not a date," he informed her, slowly turning so that he could watch her reaction. His eyes met hers, briefly, before she looked away, jutting her bottom lip out in frustration.

"Whatever you say," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, the move making her look childish. Minato, however, found it somewhat endearing.

"I just thought you could use a night out, especially after..." he trailed off, his eyes softening.

Something in his blue gaze suddenly made Kushina feel sorry for how she treated him. He looked terrible. Had he really been living here, at her side, while she was out cold? If she based her assumption on his current appearance, then she couldn't doubt his loyalty. She shrugged half-heartedly, hoping it came off as uncaring as she had hoped. Minato turned away, hiding his triumphant smile at her not-so-subtle pouting.

"Fine, whatever, but only if we can eat ramen," she grunted, "And you're paying. But, that doesn't make it anything but _you _taking _me _out for food!" Her stomach rumbled at the thought of delicious salt ramen. It had been months since she had been to her favorite ramen stand. .

"Agreed," he nodded, his expression serious. "We need to discuss the mission, as you've missed your formal debriefing. The Hokage left that duty up to me, as it was my mission. I'll let you know the important details about the, er, interrogation. Figured dinner was a good way to do it, since you've been here for weeks."

Kushina watched him. _So that was _it_? He wants to talk about the mission_? _His intent is entirely business? He wasn't...wasn't trying to date her?_

Why did she feel somewhat...disappointed by that news? She watched him carefully, her lids narrowing. Her voice was soft as she spoke, "Fine, whatever you say, Namikaze."

"Good, you pick the time, when you feel up to it. I'll be around. I was assigned a genin team-"

Kushina snorted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand, "Sorry! I, uh..."

Minato continued, ignoring her reaction, "I'll be instructing, so you can come find me on the training grounds when you want to discuss the mission. If you want to talk about anything else as well," he tapped his journal through his satchel.

Kushina's face turned red as she averted her gaze, hoping he couldn't see her embarrassment, "Just get out of here, will ya!"

"Goodbye, Kushina," he replied as he left her alone, giving her one, last nonchalant wave.

_Beep! __Beep beep beep! _

How did that stupid boy make her feel so angry? And why did her blood boil when he spoke to her? And why, oh why, did she suddenly feel very empty now that he had left her alone? It shouldn't matter to her if he stayed by her side! It was his decision, and she could care less. Right?

_He probably felt guilty because of the mission_, she told herself. _It was an utter failure, no doubt_. She would swallow her pride this one time and go out for food with him. _Let him call it whatever he wants_.

_Beep beep beep beep beep! _

She cursed the monitor for being so noisy. Why was her heart rate going up? Did he make her _that _angry?

_Not a date! _she reminded herself. _Just show up, smile, and leave. You should have never looked at his journal. Bad, Kushina! What were you thinking?_

It wasn't as if she could decipher his chicken scratch writing anyhow. She had just wanted to see what he had written in that book of his. Just a minor curiosity.

_But why was your name in there_? _s_he silently wondered.

And why did it bother her so much?

The knock at the door startled her, and she looked up to find Tsume standing in the doorway, scratching her head in confusion. The brunette looked disheveled, as usual, though it suited her. She toothily grinned as she saw that Kushina was awake.

"Thought I'd come to visit, Minato told me you were awake," she jerked her thumb behind her, indicating she had run into him in the hall, "'Bout time."

"Yeah," Kushina sighed, leaning back in her bed, glad to see her friend, "Come in!"

Tsume nodded, pulling a chair up to Kushina's bed, "So? How goes it?"

"Goes what?"

"I dunno, anything? Everything?" Tsume smirked, "It's been a madhouse, I hear. Yoshino and Mikoto came with me the other day, but this room was filled with visitors."

"For me?" Kushina wondered aloud, surprised that anyone would be interested in seeing her.

"Well, Minato didn't leave here. At all," Tsume whistled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Eh, whatever. He just feels guilty," Kushina protested, throwing a hand up into the air.

"'Bout what?"

"I dunno," the red-head shrugged.

Tsume narrowed her eyes in slight suspicion, "How much do you remember about the mission? Or your trip home?"

Kushina stared ahead, her eyes unfocused, "I don't...know. I remember you saving me...I remember riding Kuromaru to the camp...that's...that's it."

Tsume studied her, her gaze skeptical. She took notice of the deep blush in Kushina's cheeks, and she knew that her friend wasn't being honest. She did not need Kushina's reasons for her dishonesty, as she was sure the woman had suffered more than Tsume could understand. Part of her, however, was positive that Kushina remembered catching Minato being face-raped by their enemy. _That _would explain Kushina's hesitance to address the situation. If Kushina didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't press the issue. She could see the tiny blossoming relationship, even if Kushina feigned being oblivious.

_It's only a matter of time, Tsume_ told herself, watching her friend carefully. She could smell Kushina's embarrassment. Her hesitation. _Yup, she definitely remembers_.

"Well, maybe it'll come back to you? It was all pretty epic, you know," Tsume pressed.

"Maybe..." Kushina trailed off, hoping to change the subject, "How's everyone else?"

"Eh," Tsume shrugged, "I think Shikaku finally gave up on Yoshino. Saw him around with some blonde chick, the one that's supposed to be dating Inoichi. Think that really pissed Yoshino off, though she'd never admit it."

"Yeah, I think she likes him, she just doesn't realize it," Kushina smiled as she picked at the sheets on her lap.

"Uh huh," Tsume nodded, her eyes narrowing as she studied Kushina, "Seems to be happenin' a lot around here."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"Welcome back, Kushina!" Asuma smiled, his voice much deeper than she remembered. He had gone through a growth spurt, and was now taller than her. His face was showing the signs of oncoming manhood, whiskers scratching her as he pulled her into a bear hug.

"I'm not staying here permanently," she reminded him as Hiruzen's assistant wheeled her into the mansion.

"I know," Asuma sighed, "But I wish you were."

"Just until I'm one hundred percent," Kushina grinned.

"It'll make things less stuffy around here," Asuma whispered, leaning down, his eyes wide with mock anxiety.

Kushina laughed, feeling the tension of Asuma's words despite his playfulness. His relationship with his father had been strained for some time, and she did not know how to alleviate it. Hiruzen had buried himself in work after Lady Sarutobi's death, leaving Asuma's upbringing to the maids. Kushina tried to stop by the manor when she could, but she knew it was not nearly enough.

"Good to be back," Kushina smiled, looking around and stretching her arms out from her sides. The manor still had the touches of Lady Sarutobi. Nothing had changed since she had lived here, and the scenery was nostalgic. She felt her stomach tighten.

"Sure it won't be permanent?" Asuma pleaded with his eyes.

"Not a chance in hell!" she reached up and punched him playfully.

"Fine, have it your way!" Asuma shook his head, "Ready for dinner?"

"I'm starving, hospital food is such crap!" Kushina's stomach rumbled loudly enough for him to hear. He laughed, his voice deep, cracking occasionally.

Kushina watched him with pride, "You're growing up so fast. I remember when you were this tall," she emphasized with her hand.

"Well, I'm not that tall, and I'm going on my first C-ranked mission soon!"

Already?" she asked, feeling slightly saddened that he was old enough to take on those sorts of missions.

"Yup," he puffed out his chest, his eyes darting toward the dawdling Hokage's assistant, "Think you can lend me your blades?"

Kushina narrowed her eyes, "You already have them, don't you? You can't lie to me, Asuma!"

He looked at his feet, "Yeah, I borrowed them from your apartment."

"What?" she roared, despite expecting the answer.

"You told me the key was under the mat, so I let myself in. Dad and I had a fight-"

"Fine, fine, whatever!" Kushina waved, not wanting to become involved in their spat. "You can take them, but they better return in the condition you borrowed them in!"

"Yes!" Asuma emphatically agreed, "I will, I promise! Thanks 'Shina!"

Kushina felt a knot in her stomach as he called her by the name he made up for her over a decade earlier. She said nothing, patting his hand.

"You won't be training for a while, right? So I can borrow them until next week?"

"Sure thing," she replied softly, gesturing to the unneeded wheelchair the discharged her with, "Doc said I need to take it easy for a few more weeks. Give myself time to fully heal."

Turned out, the medic in her room was not a nurse or regular medic-nin, but one of Konoha's top physicians. She had begun her training under Tsunade, though her preceptorship had to switch after Tsunade had left the village. The woman was a year older than Kushina, quickly climbing the ranks of medic-nin. According to Tsume and Yoshino, she had been spending more and more time around the village, with a certain dark-haired ANBU who had _still _not spoken to Kushina. Part of her was hurt at his avoidance, but the other part was relieved that he may have potentially found happiness with the brunette medic-even if she did get on Kushina's last nerve with her questions.

"Ready for real food?" Asuma asked as he wheeled her into the dining room.

"Sure am!" Kushina grinned, as her eyes grew round at the display of food on the long table.

"Good, Dad pulled all the stops for you!" Asuma relied through clenched teeth, "Of course."

Kushina glanced up, recognizing that tone of voice. She patted his hand, "You know he'd have done the same for you, don't you?"

Asuma closed his eyes and shook his head, "Whatever, it's not important. What's important is that you're here now!" He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

She grinned, "Maybe I'll stay an extra week after all. Keep tabs on you. I hear you're quite the ladies' man at the Academy. All the pre-teens are in love with you!"

Asuma's face reddened and his posture was more rigid as he blinked rapidly, avoiding her gaze. "Um...erm, let's eat!"

"Best thing you've said all night," Kushina agreed, smirking and seeing a very promiscuous future for the Hokage's youngest son.


	28. Risk Management

_Much love. Much appreciation. Much fluff. Thanks for the encouragement, everyone_! _You know what to do :)_

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"You're still playing dumb, huh?" Tsume growled as she puffed on the cigarette, plucking it from between her lips and allowing it to slowly burn down between her calloused fingers. She liked to see how long she could bear the pain. Kuromaru's ear twitched as he slept at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hmm?" Kushina stared out into the distance, her legs stretched in front of her.

She blinked rapidly, only partly hearing her friend's question. Lately, her mind had been drifting away from reality, forcing her to re-live her last mission. Not once in her adult life had she ever been so emotionally affected by any assignment. It wasn't the torture she had to endure at her captors' hands that bothered her; it was the face of the girl she thought she was protecting. Momoko may have been long-dead prior to Kushina's arrival, but her presence felt so..._real. _It was as if the red-haired kunoichi hadn't come to terms with the mission's finality or the actuality of Momo's brutal death. She was mourning a girl she had never met...

Kushina bent her knees as she tried to force her wandering mind back to Tsume's friendly interrogation. Her muscles burned from the minor sparring session she had just participated in only minutes earlier. She wasn't supposed to be training just yet, but she squeezed in a few moments here and there—mainly with the help of her friends.

Tsume snapped her fingers in front of Kushina's face, "Yo, you there?" She flicked the cigarette butt into the nearby azalea bush, sucking on her burnt fingers.

"Uh...yeah," Kushina awkwardly hugged her hands under her knees. She had been absentmindedly listening to Tsume, who was _still_ posing questions about their latest mission.

Kushina sighed as Tsume shook her head, swearing under her breath. The red-head had yet to be debriefed on that particular mission, and Tsume was well aware of that fact. It only spurred more questions of why Kushina was avoiding Minato. But, it wasn't that she was purposely avoiding him; she just didn't feel like talking about the mission or hearing how she had been an utter failure. Once again lost in her thoughts, she reached up and twirled a lock of crimson hair around her forefinger. Her hair was getting long again...

"Dammit, Asuma! Pay attention!" Yoshino howled, her fist slamming on the wooden porch slats.

"Fine, fine," Asuma grumbled, looking bored with the game as his cheeks turned pink. Kushina felt slightly sorry for allowing her foster brother to be exposed to Yoshino's wrath.

"I'd be better off finding Shikaku," the dark-haired jonin mumbled under her breath as she slid the game piece to the intended spot on the board.

"Then why aren't you?" Asuma retorted, rolling his eyes and resting his chin in his hands.

"What did you say, squirt?" Yoshino growled, her eyes flashing their challenge.

"Nothing!" Asuma waved his hands in the air, defensively, "Jeez, settle down!" Even _he_ wasn't stupid enough to want to take on Yoshino's pent up rage. Though she was normally cordial to the Hokage's youngest child, there was a competitive edge to her that he did not desire to truly meet.

"Just play your move!" she hissed, her eyes narrowed, "I'm tired of your smart-ass mouth."

Asuma remained silent, his cheeks red as he slowly and deliberately made his move. Yoshino stroked her brow as she ruminated on her strategy, looking slightly impressed with Asuma's choice. Yoshino wouldn't admit it, but she rather enjoyed playing shogi with Asuma, as both Kushina and Tsume were poor opponents. Tsume was known to throw the game so that she didn't have to listen to Yoshino gloat. Up until a few weeks ago, Shikaku had been Yoshino's favored partner. Tsume wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but she had heard rumors of Shikaku and Inoichi's girlfriend being spotted around town...together. Those same rumors must have reached Yoshino's ears, as she hadn't spoken to him since. Tsume shook her head; she was tiring of everyone around her being in denial of who they did and didn't like. She almost wanted to smash the lovers' heads together; maybe then they'd admit their harbored feelings. She, on the other hand, had felt somewhat devastated that Ken had a new girlfriend—the same medic that had cared for Kushina while she was in a coma. She had seen him a couple of times, holding hands and whispering in the dark corners of the village. Playful taps and smiles told the story of their unfolding courtship. It made Tsume want to vomit, but she really had no claim over Ken, other than a long-standing crush. There were other men. In fact, she had her eye on one at the moment...a friend of her cousin...

"Yo, Asuma," Tsume waved her hand, "Wanna cigarette?"

"Sure-" Asuma raised his eyebrows, thankful someone was willing to save him from Yoshino's controlling and competitive nature. He rather liked the Inuzuka kunoichi anyway.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Kushina demanded, her blue eyes boring into the back of Tsume's head.

"Seein' if you were paying attention, princess," the dog-nin grinned, her pointed incisors peeking through her parted lips.

"You-" Kushina began, her mouth snapping shut as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, why are you so averted to seeing him? All he wants to do is talk to you about the mission," Yoshino pointed out, slow on the conversation's uptake. It had taken Kushina a moment to realize that Yoshino was building on the earlier conversation between her and Tsume. Her face immediately turned bright red.

"Because I don't want to!" Kushina snapped, her foot nervously tapping a stair as she looked away from everyone.

"Move, dammit!" Yoshino roared at Asuma, who yelped in surprise, sliding his piece along the board. "I think you owe him _that_, from what Tsume tells me, anyway."

"Tsume tells you?" Kushina narrowed her eyes as Tsume avoided her gaze. She was beginning to hate the fact that her friends were talking about her behind her back, "What did Tsume tell you, exactly?"

Yoshino smiled, shrugging, "That your hot little jonin gave you a run for your money."

"He..._what_?" Kushina's brow knitted in confusion. Even Asuma was laughing now...

"Nevermind," Yoshino tucked her chin in the crook between her thumb and forefinger, "You really are dense."

"_You're_ dense," Kushina muttered under her breath as other, wittier comebacks escaped her.

She didn't see the big deal about not wanting to talk to Minato. The jonin made her feel awkward and somewhat inferior. She wasn't sure why—maybe it stemmed from their childhood interactions. Despite the fact that he had explained his actions, it didn't mean she had to _like _him, did it? She sighed, already knowing that if she wanted a new mission when her leave was up, she would have to attend a debriefing with him at some point. But why did it have to be over dinner?

"Am I?" Yoshino murmured, "I'm not the one being glum over a boy I can't admit I have feelings for."

Kushina opened her mouth to protest, but Tsume only shook her head and chuckled, "You two...I'm about to beat both of your heads against a wall."

* * *

Kushina stood at the edge of the clearing, her cheeks burning as she watched him spar with his new team. On closer inspection, though, she could see him waving his hands out of frustration and annoyance as the three younger shinobi looked at the ground. Soon, he returned to being perched on a tree branch as his team wandered around the field in an attempt to mimic real ninja interactions. From the nearly half hour Kushina had stood there, inadvertently spying on the team, she could tell that the three young ninjas were awkward and unable to work well with one another. It was the curse of a new team.

She smiled, remembering her early genin days with her own team. Oh, how they had not gotten along. The pale-haired kid with the face mask seemed to be aloof from the rest of the group, as if he had better ways of spending his time. The boy with the goggles seemed to never know what to do next, but Kushina could not tell if it were out of stupidity or fear. She caught him bickering with the pale-haired kid as the former shot glances at their third teammate, a girl. She had purple stripes on her cheeks, her short chocolate hair brushing her shoulders as she wrung her hands and chewed her lower lip. Minato was leaning back on the overhanging branch, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. He appeared to be sleeping, but Kushina knew that he was unobtrusively observing his team.

"That's it! I'm sick of you!" the boy with the goggles yelled, "You damn arrogant-"

"You're a crybaby," the silver-haired one shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Kakashi! Obito! P-Please s-stop fighting!" the girl wrung her hands more furiously.

"_He _started it! Why don't you tell _him_ to stop it, Rin?" the dark-haired boy huffed, his tone softening as he jabbed a finger toward their third teammate.

"Eh," the masked boy shrugged again, "I could care less what you two think."

"Stop it. Now," Minato warned, a soft growl escaping his lips, "I'm trying to nap, and it's a bit difficult with all the yelling."

"Sensei!" Rin pleaded, her eyes misting over.

"Fine," Minato sighed, opening his eyes and glaring at his team between heavy lids. "But, first let me speak to my guest."

"Guest?" The girl was the first to recover.

"Shit," Kushina grumbled under her breath as her head fell in resignation. Of_ course_ he would sense her. It seemed she was going to have to speak to him much sooner than she had anticipated. Her plan to run had to be aborted. She took a deep breath, pushing herself forward and into the clearing.

"Kushina," Minato stood, surprised she had come so quickly. He had expected her to run, as she had the other times she hovered around the training grounds.

"Who's she, Kakashi?" the dark-haired boy whispered.

"Don't know, don't care," he shrugged, once again, "Probably another one of Sensei's girlfriends, no doubt."

Kushina was beginning to wonder if that was his signature move: the disinterested shrug. She narrowed her eyes as she approached. The young boy, Kakashi, met her gaze with equal vehemence. Kushina lifted her gaze, refusing to have a staring contest with a child—a snotty pre-teen, no less!

_Kakashi_...she silently ruminated. Where had she heard that name before?

"Namikaze," Kushina nodded.

"What brings you here today? On such a pleasant day?" Minato's smile grew even wider, his politeness dripping from every pore. She noticed the dimples in his cheeks. Why had she never noticed them until now?

Kushina raised an eyebrow, glancing at the trio to her far right. Rin was staring at her expectantly, a polite smile on her face as purple stripes creased. Kakashi rolled his eyes before he shrugged—though it seemed to be more out of sympathy for Kushina. Obito looked between Minato and Kushina, pushing his goggles up onto his forehead.

Kushina cleared her throat, "I, uh...wanted to see if you were free...to uh.."

"See? Told you," Kakashi muttered to Obito.

Kushina glared at the boy, "I'll hit a kid, don't think I won't."

Kakashi's eyes widened slightly before he quickly recovered, "Whatever, lady."

Kushina couldn't deny the satisfaction gleamed from threatening the young smart-mouthed brat. She already knew that they were not going to be friends. The girl blushed, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh shit, she told _you_," Obito told Kakashi, gloating somewhat.

"Shut up, crybaby," Kakashi growled, his voice low.

"What did you call me?" Obito raised his fist, but Rin intervened.

"Sensei?"

"You three quit it before I make you work through lunch!" Minato warned, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. His team's inability to get along was beginning to wear on him.

"Whatever."

"He started it."

"Thank you, Minato-sensei."

Kushina watched, her expression etched with curiosity at Minato's interaction with the three kids. She couldn't deny that she found it somewhat..._endearing_.

"Why am I here?"she pushed the thoughts of Minato as a father into a far corner of her mind, "Oh, uh...well..you had said that...well, I need to meet with you before I can take any new missions."

"Ah, yes, I haven't debriefed you-" he began, nodding his head in remembrance.

The two boys snorted, earning glares from both Kushina and Minato. Three pairs of eyes grew wide with fear invoked by the jonins' expressions. Obito swallowed hard. Kakashi found something more interesting int the far off distance. Rin smiled.

"When is best for you?" Minato asked nonchalantly as he looked at his nails.

Kushina watched him for a moment, but his expression betrayed nothing, "I...uh, don't care."

"How about you think about it, and get back to me?" he shrugged, his eyes flickering over her face.

She chewed her lip for a moment, deciding whether he was toying with her, "Tomorrow night works."

"Tomorrow?" he repeated, his voice softer. He seemed wary of her proposal.

Her posture was rigid as she cracked her knuckles softly, "Yeah. That's right."

"Fine," he bowed slightly, "Where and when? Your decision."

_Why am I calling all the shots, isn't he my superior? _She wanted to smack the smugness from his face. He was enjoying seeing her discomfort, she was sure.

"My usual watering hole, got it? Six o'clock, idiot."

"Got it," Minato whispered with satisfaction. Kushina turned to walk away, leaving Team Minato to stare after her.

Obito leaned toward Kakashi, his voice low, "Hey, Kakashi, how much you wanna bet that she'll sleep with sensei on the first date?"

"Don't really-" Kakashi began. _Care_.

Obito's cry cut through his intended retort as two shuriken whizzed by the goggled genin's head, slicing away locks of dark hair. Rin gasped as Kakashi's eyes grew wide, remaining like that for more than a few seconds this time. Obito held out his hands, staring at the dark hair that settled in his palms.

His head shot up, his cheeks red, "Sensei! She tried to _kill _me!"

This time, the wind kicked up, and crimson hair floated around her in wild tangles, her deep blue eyes flashing their anger. Kushina tucked her remaining shuriken in the pouch at her waist. Her lips pressed together until they blanched as she continued to stare at Obito.

"When I said I'd hit a kid," she hissed, eyes dark with fury, "maiming one was also included in that!"

Obito stared at her for some time, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He was unsure what to make of the deadly accuracy that she had displayed. Had she intentionally missed? Or had her aim been off? After staring at the red wave of hair lashing in the breeze around her, he doubted it was the latter.

"S-Sorry!" he blurted, his eyes nearly misting over at his shame. And in front of Rin, too! Minato just stood there, a smile on his face as he leaned against a nearby tree trunk, eyes closed.

"Hmph!" Kushina snorted, quickly turning on heel and leaving them to watch her stomp out of the clearing.

Minato continued to suppress his amusement as her back grew smaller with each step away from them. He could hear Obito muttering obscenities under his breath as Kakashi made a few well-aimed remarks. It ended in the two arguing as Obito angrily wiped his eyes under his goggles.

"Sensei?" Rin whispered, somehow placing herself beside the blonde team leader.

"Hmmm?" Minato raised an eyebrow in question, glancing down at the young medic to his right.

She stared after Kushina, her hands clasped nervously in front of her apron as her eyes darted back to her instructor. She continued to watch the red-head walk away, avoiding Minato's questioning gaze,"She's in pain, isn't she? Not physically, but-"

Minato took a deep breath, impressed with Rin's astuteness. Perhaps the girl did have some potential for the Medic Corps after all. Her ability to read people was astounding—much more so than her combat abilities. The blonde blinked, clear blue eyes flickering toward where Kushina had followed the trodden path to the village. He had no idea what she had experienced after leaving the arena, weeks earlier, he could only see the aftermath of whatever she had endured. He had noticed a change in the redhead. Her usual childish antics had nearly disappeared, leaving her more serious and driven. The playfulness she reserved for her closest friends and family was still there, but she seemed to have emotionally aged since her coma. Perhaps he would recommend a course of counseling sessions for her upon speaking to the Hokage. It wasn't abnormal for shinobi to come back and need mental health issues addressed after traumatic missions.

"I don't know, Rin," he answered, his voice soft as Obito and Kakashi began once again betting on whether Kushina was Minato's secret girlfriend. He ignored their bickering, only focused on his own thoughts as Rin stood beside him, staring off into the distance, "I really don't know."

* * *

Kushina sat on the edge of her bed, her head cradled in her hands. She was glad to be back in her own bed, sleeping in her own apartment. She hated to leave Asuma, but there was still an aura of sadness hanging around the Hokage Manor. It was a feeling she despised. She had visited Arashi earlier that day, finding that he and Yuuki had suffered the loss of their first child. Yuuki had managed to be brave, putting on a smile and fawning over Kushina. The red-head noticed that Arashi had continued to improve, the duration of time between needing to dispel clones increasing. Perhaps someday he wouldn't need them at all...

Despite the smiles and welcomes, Kushina could feel the overwhelming melancholy in the household. It was nearly impossible for the couple to truly mourn the passing of their child, as no one but Kushina had known of the pregnancy. In the darkness of their lives, the two managed to find hope in their future together as husband and wife. They had held off on setting a date until Kushina had recovered, much to the kunoichi's dislike. She had shed tears when Yuuki asked her to stand in at their wedding. They hadn't known each other long, but Yuuki said she knew how much Arashi valued Kushina's friendship, and that it was the least the soon-to-be wife could do.

Of course Kushina acquiesced; she couldn't deny them their happiness, after all. The wedding was in two weeks, giving Kushina little time to really digest the honor that had been bestowed upon her. Ken would be Arashi's stand-in, and she didn't know how _that_ would fare. Despite their differences, she knew Ken would be amiable, if only for Arashi. The Hyuuga had politely asked about Kushina's life, dancing around, of course, the issue of a certain blonde jonin.

Kushina had merely sighed, "There is nothing. Why doesn't anyone believe me?"

Arashi had smiled, sipping his tea as pale, milky irises stared ahead, "Perhaps it is not meant to be, of course. But, sometimes even the most astute can be blind."

"Yeah, whatever you're spouting," Kushina had rolled her eyes.

"It's true that only you know how you feel," the Hyuuga had murmured, "But it doesn't meant you always do. Why don't you try letting someone in, for once?"

"I do!" she had argued, "Asuma, Gramps, Lady Sarutobi. Then there's you and Ken...see how _that _worked out!"

"I'd say quite well, given everything, wouldn't you?" he had replied, his eyes meeting hers.

She never did answer his question, though she had been thinking about it since. Was it possible she had a crush on Minato? Perhaps. She could still recall the odd feeling she had experienced at seeing him kiss Nana, though, in all fairness, he _had_ been tricked. She remembered the look of bewilderment on his face; he didn't seem entirely displeased at the imposter's reaction. Could it be that she was...jealous of the shared moment? Did she wish it were really _her _with her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers tangled in his messy hair? She threw herself back on the bed, her heart racing as she turned to stare at her closet.

_Why do you care so much about what you are going to wear, silly? _she asked herself, her recent musings still fresh in her mind.

"I don't know!" she whispered into her fingers as they covered her face. Why _did_ she care?

_It's not a date, remember? Arashi doesn't know what he's talking about. _And neither does Tsume. Or anyone else, for that matter.

"But what if _he_ thinks it is?" she mumbled into her hands.

_Who cares what _he _thinks? What do _you _think?_

"It's not a date!" she leaped to her feet, nodding her head as she caught her reflection in the mirror.

She had, at that point in time, opted for something dressier than what she would normally wear. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to dress up for such an encounter, but she didn't want to be under-dressed. She wore a dark blue wrap dress. It was sleeveless, so she grabbed a jacket from her closet.

She felt her stomach tighten as she decided to leave her hair down. She grunted at her reflection, deciding to clip the front away from her face. She grabbed the turquoise barrettes Lady Sarutobi had given her, using them to secure her hair from her eyes. She hadn't realized just how long her crimson hair had grown until she spun around, watching its natural wave as it fell to the small of her back. Perhaps she would cut it shorter this week. She rather liked it short and, besides, she could use a change. As she debated about her future plans, she slipped on a pair of flat shoes and looked at herself in the mirror once more. A knock at her door startled her.

"Who the hell?" she asked herself under her breath, looking to her reflection for an answer. Her own questioning gaze stared back at her. She wasn't expecting anyone. A second knock, this time more furtive, pulled her attention away from her mirror. Shrugging, she quickly made her way to her front door, unlatching it and opening it. She gasped in surprised to find Minato standing outside, his back to her. He was wearing his standard jonin outfit: long-sleeved blue shirt under his vest, black pants and boots. After a few seconds, he slowly turned around.

He nodded at her, his expression serious for a few more moments. A half-smile pulled at his lips as his eyes wandered over her outfit. She saw the brief twitch of his eyebrow, and found herself wondering what he was thinking. She could feel her face starting to burn from the scrutiny. His eyes returned to hers, and his expression suddenly turned blank.

"Kushina."

"W-What are you doing here?" she regained her voice, though her heart was racing.

"I was in the area," he shrugged, his face betraying none of his earlier surprise,"so I figured if we were walking to the same direction, then..."

She blinked, staring at him for some time. He was being completely serious, and his rationale was sound. She couldn't see fault in his explanation, despite searching for it. She suddenly felt over-dressed.

"Are you going to invite me in?" he raised an eyebrow as the earlier smile returned to tug at his lips.

_Damn him and those dimples! _She quickly recovered, blinking rapidly, "Oh...uh, yeah, come in, I guess." She waved him into her tiny apartment, "Just wait here, I'm going to change-"

"Why?" his brow creased, "You look nice." He suddenly looked uncomfortable, as if he hadn't meant to speak that last part aloud. Kushina ran her hands along her hips, smoothing the dress. He cleared his throat, "It's not a big deal. Really."

She chewed her lip, her eyes darting around her apartment as she decided to listen to him for once. She sighed, waving at her dress, "You're right, I just came back from the Hokage's Manor." It was a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

"Funny, so did I. I didn't see you there.." he watched her, his eyes flickering with amusement.

She had the sudden urge to punch the smug expression off of his face, "Did I say the old man's house? I meant that I had gone his office." She was trying to keep her ears from burning with embarrassment. "You're right, I won't change. I'll just go and get my shoes-"

"You're wearing shoes," he pointed out as he glanced around her home, the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Oh!" she looked at her feet, confused as her cheeks turned red, "I m-mean my wallet! I need my wallet!"

He said nothing, doing his best to remain stoic as she fluttered around her house, looking somewhat exasperated. He peered around the dimly lit apartment in her absence. It was quaint and basic; it was Kushina. He could see into her kitchen, noticing that it was the most immaculate part of her abode. Clean pots hung neatly on a rack on the wall and her counter space was spotless. He suddenly felt badly for the sloppy condition of his own apartment. He quickly reminded himself that he was not anticipating visitors, so its current state did not matter.

"Ready?" she asked, trudging back into the living area and avoiding his gaze.

"Yup," he nodded, backing out the doorway and into the dwindling evening. The sunlight poured into her apartment around his silhouette,"Ramen?"

She smiled, straightening her dress and silently begging her racing heart to slow down, "Believe it."

Kushina sat back, patting her stomach as she belched. Minato raised an eyebrow, not surprised by her unladylike behavior in the least. They had eaten like this many times before, though it usually ended with her running off and leaving him with the bill. Each time, he had paid it, despite his dwindling funds.

"I'm so full," she groaned as she eyed the dozen empty bowls scattered across the table.

"I'd like to think so," Minato chuckled, looking over his six.

"Got a problem with that, Namikaze?" her dark blue eyes flashed but her expression betrayed her feigned offense.

"Not at all," he replied, knowing that this was her way of digesting what he had told her. It was also how she coped. True Uzumaki Kushina fashion, he knew.

They had discussed the mission over dinner, and he had explained the protocol upon returning to Konoha. He had told her of his meeting with the Hokage, and the overall mission success. She seemed surprised that the mission was considered fruitful, and he was surprised that she doubted herself. They had skirted around the issue dancing on the tips of their tongues, as it was not relevant to the outcome of the assignment. He just couldn't find the courage to broach it, and she didn't want to talk about it.

"Any questions?" he asked, his voice suddenly softening as he steepled his fingers under his chin and watched her intently.

She leaned back farther, her move unladylike, "So the girl was alive when she reached the village?"

"Yes," Minato answered after some thought, "And we had expected a full recovery. Though, things did not pan out accordingly...an infection and fever..."

Kushina said nothing for some time, her lips pressed together. She looked as if she were somewhat saddened by the news, "Did Inoichi or the rest of Interrogation get any information before she...died?"

He could tell that she didn't want to admit that she had been somewhat responsible for Nana's death. She didn't want to say she killed the girl. Kushina had never wanted to be a killer, which is probably her reason for avoiding a promotion to ANBU, despite the Hokage's pressing. Regardless of her rough exterior, she was gentle at heart—never cruel or ruthless. She was a peaceful person, and he respected her for knowing her limits.

He cleared this throat, "I had touched on this, and I apologize if I did not explain it clearly. Interrogation was very successful in gathering intel from both targets despite the individualized outcomes. We were able to infiltrate the trafficking ring, as well, and there was much information to gain there." Minato watched her reaction, his concern building, "The women and girls...they were all returned to their families. Every last one."

"Good," Kushina nodded, sitting upright and staring at the table for some time. Her eyes were unfocused as she wordlessly sat across from him. They remained like that for some time.

Minato finally took the initiative, his courage winning over. "If there is anything else you wish to discuss. Or any services I can offer. We have a staff psychologist on hand in case..." he trailed off, noticing the glazed, far away look in her eyes, "Kushina?"

"Oh, huh?" she blinked, looking up. She glanced around, her expression illustrating her bewilderment. She began to blink more rapidly. "I think...I think I should get going. Are we done?"

She didn't' wait for an answer, quickly rising to her feet and rummaging through her wallet. Her hands trembled as she tossed a few coins on the table, avoiding his gaze while blinking furiously, "This should do, right?"

"Uh...you don't have to pay," Minato began, "I'll take-"

"I don't need you payin' for me," she shot back, "I can take care of myself, you know."

"I didn't say you couldn't," Minato seemed shocked at her sudden change in tone.

She never answered him, quickly walking out of the restaurant and leaving the the baffled jonin at the table. He recovered, quickly throwing down a few more coins before nodding at the shop owner. The man smiled knowingly as Minato hurried out of the bar. He found her walking down the street, hugging her jacket close to her body.

"Kushina!" he called after her. When she didn't stop, he picked up his pace until he was next to her, "Kushina!"

Still, she forged ahead, ignoring him. This time, he reached out and grabbed her arm, his grip soft, "Would you just wait!"

Kushina spun around, tears streaming down her face. He wondered if it had anything to do with the issue they had both avoided. Did it affect her this much? He took a deep breath and began to offer an explanation, "Look, Kushina, she kissed me. I had no intention of it. Please don't think it meant any disrespect to you! It just...it happened so suddenly-"

Her eyes widened, and he suddenly knew that was not what had caused this reaction. His face burned from that knowledge as he attempted to stutter an apology, "I, er, I-I thought that was what had upset you...I, uh..."

Kushina sucked on her bottom lip, new tears spilling over as she stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry-" Minato began, pulling his hand away from her arm.

"She fooled us all!" Kushina suddenly blurted, her eyes downcast, "That's what she did, she played everyone for fools, toying with our emotions and vulnerabilities!"

Minato wasn't sure if she were necessarily speaking about him. He watched her silently cry in the middle of the lonely street, her words hanging in the air around them. He didn't know what to say—or if anything he could say would make it better. So, instead, he let her cry.

"The things she said! What she did to that poor girl! They killed all those women for...for _no _reason! I don't feel sorry that they're dead, you know!" she began to sob again, her tears anew.

Her sudden, turbid reaction startled Minato. He didn't know what to make of this new vulnerability. He had never seen her so upset before, aside from a few times during their childhood, usually because of his stupidly chosen words.

"I...I had no idea," he murmured, his hands rubbing her shoulders and down her arms as she sobbed. He truly didn't understand how she felt, though he was willing to listen. He had no idea what she experienced inside of that house. He could only imagine...

After a few moments, she seemed to collect herself. "No, you wouldn't, and I'm sorry to act like this—like an idiot!" she stammered, her cheeks flushing, "You've been so nice, actually. And I'm always so mean to you..."

"You're not acting like anything, Kushina," he whispered, hooking a finger under her chin and pulling it upward, "Just let me know what you need. If it's an ear to vent to or a punching bag to hurt, tell me."

Her eyes widened, tears streaking her cheeks and glistening in the dim moonlight. It was her turn to be speechless. Minato sucked in a deep breath, realizing that he had already said more than he had intended, revealing much of himself to her.

"I can only imagine what you had to endure on the mission. I am not a woman, as you may have guessed, so I was not privy to such intel," he paused for a second, his eyes studying her face. Without letting her respond, he continued, "I think you've been through a lot, and you should let it out. I would prefer you not choose to use me as a punching bag, just so you know."

Without so much as another word, he gently pulled Kushina against him. She was rigid and awkward, unsure of what to make of this tender display. Part of her was oddly comforted by his reaction, the other part wary. She decided to let herself be embraced by him, allowing him to rub her back as she began to cry again. She buried her face in his shoulder, smelling his skin through the soft fabric. She found that it made her stress melt away; it was a new experience for her. Kushina allowed herself to be swallowed by the moment, closing her eyes and leaning into him as the tears silently slipped down her cheeks, dripping onto his shirt. He just stood there, patting her back as if he truly cared. After what felt like an eternity, she pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm s-sorry!" she croaked her eyes puffy, "I'm done, I s-swear! Don't tell anyone about this, Namikaze, or I'll f-f-find you and make you pay."

"Don't worry about it. I'll keep it between us," he smiled, his gaze flickering over her hair as he reached out and pulled something from it, "You left some."

"Huh?" her eyes grew wide as he waved a noodle in the air. She suddenly broke into a fit of laughter as she fell into pace next to him, "You never know when you'll be hungry again!"

"It suits you, I suppose," he chuckled, his arms tucked behind his back as they walked.

"Yeah, I think so," she nodded as they climbed the flight of stairs to her apartment. She hadn't realized how quickly they had covered that distance. Part of her felt somewhat disappointed by that fact. When they reached her front door, she turned to face him, feeling sheepish for her earlier breakdown.

"You didn't have to walk me home, you know," she told him, wearing her sternest expression.

"I know, but I wanted to," he confided, his eyes studying her face. He wore an expression of the utmost seriousness.

She averted her gaze, fumbling in her wallet for her key, "Well, uh...thanks for digging the noodles out of my hair!"

"Anytime," he rubbed the back of his neck, smiling broadly. "You know, I like the color."

"Huh?" she turned, looking baffled.

"Uh..I mean..." His cheeks reddened as he realized what he had stupidly shared. Finally, he sighed, "I think the color of your hair...is beautiful. I know you've been insecure about it in the past, and I thought you should know. Longer hair suits you."

Kushina stood there, her mouth hanging open as he stumbled through his explanation. She hadn't expected _that_ from him. Nor had she expected her response. She quickly closed the gap between them, reaching up and gripping his face between her palms. She pulled his face close to hers, pausing as if to re-think what she was doing.

"Screw it," she whispered, lifting her lips to brush against his. His lips were soft and dry, and she could hear his breath hitch in his throat. Her stomach fluttered from the sterile gesture, and she forced herself to pull back. Minato just stared at her, dumfounded.

"Well, good night, Namikaze," she quickly replied, turning her key in the lock before she reacted rashly again, "Thanks."

With that, her door softly closed behind her, and he could hear the lock turn. He continued to stand there for some time, staring blankly at her door, confused about what the hell had just happened.


	29. Devil's Advocate

**A/N: It's gettin' deep here! I sorta kept where I had originally intended to go with this story (it was where I was going with it when the story went there anyway). So, yes, I'm keeping it, but now with a bit of modification. The joys of writing a story before parts of the storyline are revealed! I applaud everyone for their patience, seriously, I'm such a slow story developer and it amazes me that anyone sticks with me! So, thank you all very much! You know the routine: RxR! **

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

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Kushina's hands trembled as she latched her door, quietly cursing under her breath. Her legs betrayed her, and she leaned back against the hard, knotted wooden door, sliding down its length until she sat on the floor, her knees bent in front of her. She let her fingers comb through her hair as her hands rested on either side of her head, cradling it as her heart bounded in her ears. She willed any thought to enter her mind—anything except what had just happened!

She squeezed her eyes shut, her cheeks still burning. She could feel the heat slowly creeping to her ears and she clamped her hands over them to stop the prickling sensation. Her heart was racing and her lips tingled from the less-than-romantic kiss she had planted on Minato's unsuspecting lips. She could still recall his look of surprise as she gripped his face between her hands and lifted her lips to his. Had she been daring enough to continue, she was sure the kiss would have progressed to something more heated.

Thank goodness she had managed to stop herself. She may have very well regretted that action; she sure as hell regretted her actions _now_, and they were nearly harmless!

_I just kissed Namikaze Minato! _That _idiot! _she cringed at the memory, though it was not entirely directed at Minato. She heard no movement from outside, and a quick peek told her he was still standing outside her door. _What is wrong with him? Leave already, dammit! _

She sat on her cold floor, attempting to maintain some shred of control over her body's instinctual reactions. Why were her hands trembling? She could feel her chest growing hot, a new experience for her. And just _what _was her stomach doing? Kushina was a ball of emotions as she remained still, wondering what had gotten into her!

_Admit it, Kushina, you liked it, _her inner self teased. _No matter how innocent you claim it to be._

_Did not. _

_Then why did you do it? _You _took initiative, not him. He looked speechless!_

She moaned into her hands as she cupped her face. Why, indeed? That was a good question. She already knew the answer. It had been haunting her for days now. Weeks, even. Hell, maybe even longer...though she would never admit that, not even to herself.

_You like him. _

_He intrigues me, _she begrudgingly admitted, though not entirely convinced of her own answer.

_Intrigues? Really? _That's _the best you can do? _

Kushina knew that her silent battle was a lost cause. She had kissed Minato, it was true. She. Kissed. Him.

There was no taking it back. Especially not now. Why did such a simple gesture make her so hot and bothered? Sure she had kissed boys before, but never had it elicited _this _reaction. The excitement in kissing Ken had paled in comparison, and _those _were much more carnal than the one she just initiated with Minato. It was...different. And she couldn't stop herself from wanting more. She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts from her mind, though she was not successful. Sure, he was handsome, but there were a million other reasons why that didn't matter! For starters, he was proud and rude. He had rarely been kind to her in their youth.

_But he already explained that to you! You said you understood! _Her inner voice had returned. She grimaced as it thundered in her head. _You have to quit rationalizing!_

_That doesn't mean I have to agree with it! I was never mean to him! _

_Really? You sure you never reacted rashly? _

She was being goaded and she knew it. Her inner self was also not entirely incorrect. After his confession during the Chuunin Exams, Kushina had come to a silent sort of understanding with the blonde-haired jonin. It was obvious that he hadn't intentionally hurt her feelings, and she knew all too well the burden he must have had to carry as a prodigy in a class of averages. He stood out like a sore thumb, and making friends was most likely difficult. She had felt somewhat sorry for him, though she knew very little of his childhood. Careful information gathering revealed that he was raised by relatives, his parents dying in the Second Ninja War like her own.

No, Minato hadn't had an easy life, either. So why was she still having difficulty accepting his kind gesture and actions?

_Because you want to hate him! You don't want to admit your weakness!_

_I'm not weak! _she inwardly growled in response, her fingers digging into her skin.

_You are when it comes to cute boys that obviously like you! Just accept your feelings and his! _

_I don't feel anything, dammit! _She was growing anxious from the argument, but the voice continued, _Really? Then why are you still trembling? Why are you waiting for him to admit it? Isn't he tortured enough by—_

Quiet footsteps interrupted her silent argument and her breath hitched in her throat as she heard them approaching. Her lights remained off, and she could see his shadow in the faint moonlight as it spilled under her door. He was standing outside!

She couldn't face him! Not like this! Not when she was sweating like a barbarian, her heart ready to beat out of her chest. How would she remain cool in front of him? Furthermore, what if she overstepped her boundaries? Was he disgusted? Maybe he really was just being nice to her, like he is to everyone else in Konoha. He was widely liked, and she was sure that his cheerful demeanor and kindness to everyone he met contributed to his popularity.

_Disgusted? Not wanting to kiss you? Does he stay in everyone's hospital rooms while they are in a coma? Missing opportunities to make money? _The voice of reason was back. This time, however, she contemplated what it shared with her. Her inner self did have a point...

She heard Minato nervously clear his throat a couple times, but after a few more moments, his footsteps slowly shuffled away from the door. Kushina couldn't deny the awkward pang of regret she felt as he walked away, his decision to leave playing upon her insecurities.

_You moron. What did you just do_? she asked herself, shoulders slumping in defeat.

With a low groan and a sigh of resignation, she slammed her head against the door. She blinked at the darkness of her apartment, her eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of lighting. Nevermind what she _did_, what was she _going to _do?

* * *

Kushina forcefully kicked the set of doors open before she threw the shinobi ahead of her. He yelped as she lifted her foot and kicked him in his rear. The young man stumbled forward, falling into the Hokage's office.

"Move it, idiot!" she growled, her eyes narrowed in anger as the kage turned to watch the display, his arms crossed over his chest as he puffed on his pipe. He raised an eyebrow at the interaction.

"H-Hokage-sama!" the now-kneeling jonin bowed his head, "U-Uzumaki-san is here!"

"Damned right I am," she hissed, swinging at the ninja, her wet hair spraying moisture throughout the room. She looked up at the kage, "What the hell? Do you always send your minions at the most inopportune times? I was in the _shower _for cryin' out loud!" She thrust her forefinger at the dark-haired shinobi—who was seventeen, at best. He cowered from her wrath as he wiped at his bloody nose.

"I-I didn't know!" he wailed, holding his sleeve up to his nostril. His right eye was growing puffy.

"Bullshit!" she roared, "Try using the door next time! Nevermind, there won't _be _a next time! You don't come bargin' into a lady's house, asshole! You never know what you're gonna find!" Her shoulders heaved as she gritted her teeth, staring at the young man.

"I s-s-said I'm sorry!" he squeaked in response.

"Oooh, _I'm sorry_?" she mocked him, "Sorry doesn't cut it! You saw me naked!"

"But you looked good! Naked I mean! W-Wait, n-n-no, I didn't mean it like that, I—" the young man blurted his face reddening as he realized the ridiculousness of his off-hand comment. He had only meant it as a compliment, his intent falling short.

Kushina's dark blue eyes grew wide and her face pink as she pulled out a kunai, "You bastard! I'll cut you to pieces!"

"Enough!" Hiruzen barked, his earlier amusement resolved. Kushina was only growing angrier, her newfound irritability concerning the Hokage. "Keigo, you may go, thank you."

"Yes, s-sir!" the young man shot one last wary glance at Kushina before he rose and stiffly bowed. Kushina stomped her foot as he ran by her, making him yelp and jump away. She smirked in satisfaction as she stared after the shiny new jonin.

When he was gone, she twirled the kunai around her forefinger, replacing it in her belt as she pulled her damp hair into a ponytail. She met Hiruzen's gaze, "You just tell them to come in whenever they want now? No warning at all, whatsoever? I was finishing my shower!"

"Seems we are letting common sense slip away with these new jonin," the older man nodded, "I apologize for his lack of decency."

"Or mine," she grunted, walking toward the chair he had gestured to.

He watched her sit down, noticing that she was still wearing the kimono that Lady Sarutobi had purchased for her, years ago. It was now faded, no longer a bright mauve. Instead, it was a dusky pale pink, the dark blue stitching vivid against the short dress' soft hue. Underneath, she wore a black tank top and black shorts. Her boots were long, coming up past her knees as she crossed her legs over one another.

"Well? Whatcha want?"

A droplet of water ran down her temple and dripped onto her shoulder. Hiruzen traced its movement, suddenly feeling very weary. His eyes flickered to her face when she spoke. He could tell that she was still mildly irritated that he had sent an inexperienced jonin to fetch her. He supposed it was still quite early for her, as well.

"Kushina," he murmured, taking a deep breath as he slowly sat in his bulky chair. He nodded toward the two cups on his desk, and she could see the steam dancing from the hot coffee that had just been poured. Pastries lined a silver platter on the outer corner of his desk, "Help yourself."

"Don't mind if I do," she answered, greedily shoving a sticky bun into her mouth. She slurped on the black coffee, burning her tongue, "Ow, thash hoth! Where's the sugar? This is bitter! Since when do you drink black coffee?"

The kage raised an eyebrow at her sudden loquaciousness. It had been awhile since he had time to speak with her, and he found himself oddly calmed by her voice. He blew on the top of his beverage as he watched her carefully, "You've lost weight."

"Eh, it's nothing," she waved a hand dismissively, "Hospital food isn't as delicious as it looks. It'll come back, so don't worry. And, no, I won't come stay with you so that your maids can fatten me up!"

The kage nodded, his graying hair more noticeable than she remembered. He silently sipped his coffee before softly chuckling, "Such a bright presence in the morning, I see. Some things never change."

Kushina looked at him, her expression unamused, "You're avoiding my question. Why'd ya call me here, Gramps?"

The Hokage smirked. He'd never admit it, but that had come to be a term of endearment between them, "I wanted to let you know that you are formally on duty again."

Kushina sucked on her fingers, eyeing him warily, "That's not all of it. You're lying to me. You could send a memo for that, not some stupid shinobi to find me scantily clad in my apartment. Whatcha really hiding?"

He was impressed by her ability to read him; he had thought he was hiding it well. Apparently not. He sighed, his cup clinking on the china as he sat back in his chair, stroking his graying beard. He glanced behind her, staring at the far wall for some time.

"What is it?" Kushina was beginning to become concerned as his expression suddenly grew serious and distracted.

"I...called you here to ask for...a favor, Kushina," he answered, his eyes returning to her face. His lips were pressed together in a firm line, and his body rigid. She could sense the hesitance. He was looking more haggard than she remembered, and his hair streaked with much more gray than she had ever seen.

"A favor? For you? You know you can ask me anything!" she answered honestly, sobering at his concerned expression. She saw the muscle under his eye twitch at her words. He looked to be torn by something that she couldn't quite understand..

"This isn't just any favor, child!" he replied quickly, his tone almost protective. His eyes grew cold as he studied her for a few moments.

Kushina sat forward in her seat, suddenly curious as to the kage's motives. Her mouth was dry and she felt somewhat queasy at her anxiousness. Her eyes narrowed slightly, "I'll be the judge of that. But first, you need to tell me what that favor is so I can accept or refuse." The time for friendly banter was over; Kushina knew when to be serious, and now was definitely one of those times.

Hiruzen chewed on the inside of his cheek, tasting the warm, salty blood as he bit too hard. He sighed once again, his shoulders slumping, "We'll get to that, but first...first is something I should have told you a long time ago. But...but...you were too young."

Kushina's throat tightened and her heart began to race as her mind swirled with all the possible scenarios that could ensue.

"What is it?" she whispered, her voice hoarse and dry.

His dark eyes remained downcast as he studied the wood grain on his desk. "It's about your village."

Her village? What about it? It had been so long ago that she had come to Konoha, that it all just seemed like a bad dream she had managed to escape. She could barely recall her parents' faces, and that thought stung her miserably.

"Spit it out." She could feel the cold sweat sweeping over her.

His gaze flickered to meet hers, "It...it wasn't destroyed by accident. There were motivations in the attack on Whirlpool."

Kushina's heart leaped up into her throat as she recalled Daijiro's confessions regarding the village's demise. Hiruzen couldn't really be telling her that her captor's blatant untruths were...factual, could he?

"Konoha destroyed my home," she breathed through clenched teeth.

Hiruzen turned his head slightly, his eyes suddenly illustrating his confusion, "No."

Kushina's hands trembled, "The Whirlpool shinobi that Tsume killed...the one whose body was brought back in the scroll...he had said he saw ANBU masks when the town was attacked."

The Hokage's brow furrowed as he registered her words, "That...the villages were allied."

His voice wavered ever so slightly, and Kushina watched him carefully. She knew he would never lie to her, but there was something he was not telling her. A hidden suspicion? Something beyond the scope of the Hokage?

"You're telling me he was lying?"

"Or misinformed," Hiruzen gruffly responded.

"He said he saw it with his own eyes."

He shook his head, eyes never leaving her face. "Impossible. I was still a jonin at that time, I would have known about it. I was close with the Second Hokage."

Kushina said nothing. Daijiro had been a rambling murderer, and she had no reason not to believe her foster father, "Go on."

The Hokage watched her with weary eyes, "To be completely candid, I will tell you everything. I was not Hokage during the last war, only being bestowed with the honor when the Second Hokage sacrificed himself, naming me his successor. So the intricacies of a lot of things, I did not comprehend at the time. Now, looking back, I know a lot more, and can share that knowledge with you."

Kushina sat back, saying nothing and watching him closely. What could he share with her that she did not know? And after this long, too! She had the sudden urge to vomit, already fearing what he was going to tell her. He was staring at his hands as they were splayed on his desk, his eyes unfocused as he reminisced.

"Whirlpool and Konoha had long been allies. In fact...the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, took a wife from your village."

"I knew that," Kushina offered, surprised as she recalled Daijiro's information. _So he had been right on that account._

"It was common knowledge back then, I suppose," Hiruzen replied, looking surprised by her confession. Regardless, he continued, "Senju had been lucky enough to take a wife that he loved as well satisfied his obligations to your village. Whirlpool was renown for three things. The main being their fuinjutsu. The second being their longevity..."

Kushina remained silent, interested in hearing about her village and anxious about knowing more in regards to its demise. After a few moments, she prompted him to continue, despite his obvious hesitation, "And the third?"

"That one is not as well known..." the kage sat back, his arms resting behind his head. He pursed his lips, as if deciding if he were actually going to share it. Finally, he took a deep breath, "Being that they were skilled in Sealing Techniques, the Shodai's wife took it upon herself to become the jinchuriki."

Kushina was mum as she listened to the kage's words. Her eyes became round as she realized what he was inferring, "S-She sealed a demon inside of her?"

"Not just any demon, Kushina," his gaze was steady as he watched, her, "The nine-tails."

"Holy shit!" Kushina gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

Her own clanswoman powerful enough to do something like that? She sat there, her mind wandering over the various scenarios of how the First Hokage's wife had valiantly sacrificed herself to seal the demon inside of her—to become a vessel.

"The reason why I called you here. Why I wanted to share this is because I want you to know," Hiruzen's expression serious as he gauged her reaction.

"Know what?" Kushina repeated, proud of her village's accomplishments. Her thoughts strayed from her initial fear and anger.

"Her name."

"Eh?" the red-head angled her head, unsure of where he was taking the conversation-at-hand.

"Her name was," his face was stony as his gaze remained steadfast on her face, "Uzumaki Mito."

_Uzumaki_? Uzumaki? Kushina's mouth fell open, "Y-You m-m-mean to say that...no way! You're lying!"

Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, she's a relative of yours. Most likely a great-great aunt. But the resemblance is striking, even so distanced."

Kushina gaped at him, completely shocked by this revelation. She noticed that he wasn't reacting, her eyes narrowing suspiciously, "What happened to her?"

"She's still alive. Not many of the younger generation know that, given her age, as I had mentioned earlier," he replied, his expression grim, "It was she who requested that Konoha take in the refugees from her village. Me, owing her a debt for her sacrifice, easily obliged."

"This has something to do with the village being destroyed doesn't it?" Kushina was slowly piecing it together. She licked her lips, clasping her trembling hands on her lap.

"It does," Hiruzen nodded, "Someone attacked Whirlpool hoping to find the jinchuriki. They didn't realize that she was under our care and safety, and had been since the village's founding."

Kushina felt as if she were hit with a ton of bricks. Her village and family were murdered because Konoha was keeping a secret, hiding away the very thing that the enemy was looking for! They allowed Kushina's home to be destroyed.

"Hundreds were killed for one person. One person! How could Konoha let that happen?" Kushina began to grow angry at Hiruzen's revelation.

The kage bowed his head, "I understand your anger, but you must realize that if someone would have gotten their hands on the nine-tails, none of what you see today would be here. Millions would have been killed."

"So Whirlpool was a small sacrifice?" Kushina stood, her hands curled into fists, "Or was it that the village was a threat to the all-powerful Konohagakure?"

"That was never anyone's intent. How the information of the nine-tail's jinchuriki was leaked, I'll never know..." he confessed, his face darkening as he met her angry stare, "I want you to know that Konoha did not purposely let Whirlpool fall. Had they known of the attack—"

Kushina looked away, her shoulders shaking with the rage that was coursing through her, "My mother. My father! My grandparents! All killed because Konoha failed to protect them."

Hiruzen sighed, "I know how it must feel, but, as I said, we had no knowledge of the attack. We are still unsure as to who had done so. We only know that hita'ites were stolen from our soldiers' bodies—"

"How convenient," Kushina bitterly laughed as she stood. "And now you will tell me ANBU masks were stolen, too."

Hiruzen's voice was soft, "We had reason to believe it were a set up, yes, in case anything went wrong. My dear, I know how you must feel—"

You have _no idea_ how it feels!" she hissed at him, her eyes flashing.

"I need you to understand, Kushina. It's important for you to realize this. Because now...now Konoha lies in your hands. At your mercy."

"Huh?" Kushina whirled around, confused by the change of events.

Hiruzen's body slackened in defeat, his head hanging low as he glanced to his right. He suddenly looked very, very old. "The real reason why I asked you to come here was because you are the only one left."

"Only one left? For what?" she asked, her eyes searching his face for easy answers.

"It had originally been thought that Tsunade, being a direct heir, would take on the duty, but with her leave from the village," the kage stared at the Second Hokage's picture on the wall, "and the fact that you are generally better suited, the question can no longer be avoided."

"Just spit it out already, dammit!"

"A new jinchuriki is needed. Mito's health is failing..."

Kushina felt as if she were just slapped. She swallowed against the urge to vomit, "Y-You're asking m-m-me to...to seal that _thing_, inside of _me_?"

"I know what I am asking of you, and I realize the sacrifice you'll have to make."

"Sacrifice? What does that mean?" her voice was growing high-pitched in her shock.

"Unfortunately, child-bearing seems to weaken the seal. When Mito had Tsunade's mother, the demon was nearly let loose on the village. For that reason, it is recommended that the container not...er..endure such things."

"I never said I was _going to do it_!" Kushina cried, suddenly feeling trapped, "I never asked for this!"

"I know, child, I know. I never wanted to be in this position, having to ask," Hiruzen admitted, his eyes misting over as he looked at her. She had grown into a lovely woman—a strong kunoichi—no longer the broken child that he and his wife had so badly wanted to heal. He had known that this day would come from the moment she walked into the village. Mito had been beside him, nodding toward Kushina.

_She will be the one, _the woman had told him, _She has Uzumaki blood in her. My twin sister's blood. _

Hiruzen had nodded, unimpressed by the gangly girl. She paled in comparison to First Hokage's wife, but he would respect her decision. Mito had turned to walk away, speaking softly over her shoulder, _Take her and let her have a normal childhood. She deserves that. _

And he had. What started as a call of duty had metamorphosed into something he would never regret. She had charmed his wife, who had always wanted a girl, and in doing so, made him love her like his own daughter. Asuma had a bigger sister who looked after him, giving him someone to admire. His eldest son had already been independent, so his time with Kushina was few and far between. Hiruzen had never been around for his family and Kushina was a welcome distraction. She had created what they all so badly needed: a filling for the void the Hokage's duty had created.

"What about yourself? Are _you _done procreating?" she was being facetious, though he knew she was justified in her anger, "You got no one to worry about!"

His eyes showed his hurt, and Kushina immediately hated herself for going there. He sighed, rubbing his weary eyes, "I would, if I thought I could handle it. But it seems that Mito has chosen her successor."

"She _chose_ me?"

"She chose you from the moment you walked through the village gates," he admitted, though his confession would end there.

"So that's why the Hokage took in a dirty orphan!" she fumed, her stomach turning as the realization, "Secondary gain for you, huh?"

"No, never," Hiruzen shook his head, "It was purely circumstance. I had been curious, yes, but once you stepped into the manor, I knew that my wife was smitten with you. I had never defied Biwako's wishes since our childhood...I loved her too much." He looked away, the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Kushina's throat tightened at the odd display of emotion from the elder Sarutobi.

After a few moments of him softly biting his lower lip between his teeth, he collected himself. His gaze flickered to Kushina's face, "Mito wishes to speak with you, herself. When you are ready, of course."

"I never said I was going to agree to this! No old woman is going to convince me otherwise!"

"It's a lot to ask, I understand."

"You think? Seriously, Gramps, why me?"

"Since you were a child, your potent chakra was impressive. You could create perfect Shadow Clones before you were a genin—a jutsu that some jonin cannot properly utilize. From the very beginning, I knew you were different. The moment you stepped into this village and Mito pointed you out, I realized it. Since that day, I have never regretted bringing you into my home and accepting you as one of my own. There is a greatness inside of you I haven't seen in years, Kushina. There isn't anyone else I would trust more with this duty as much as it pains me to have to burden you with it."

Kushina stood in awkward silence, digesting what he was confessing. She was torn between wanting to please the village and the Hokage as well as her own thoughts on the issue. It was a sacrifice she was not willing to take lightly, unlike the other decisions in her life.

Her voice was a hoarse whisper, "How long does she have?"

"Months at best," he answered, speaking to his desk as he clenched his fists.

"What do I have to do?"

"She will tell you when you meet with her. I will round up the necessary help to make the transition go as smoothly as possible."

"I still haven't agreed, you know."

"The village is at your mercy—"

"Don't. Don't do that." she growled, edging toward the door, feeling as if she were being back into a corner, "You just sprang this on me and you expect me to give you an immediate answer? I don't—I don't even know what to think!"

"I know that this is difficult to take in—"

"Difficult?" she nearly choked on her irritation, "No, it's difficult to rationalize how you think...that after what you told me...I'm just going to happily agree to this! Ruin the rest of my life? No way! You may have ruined yours, old man-"

Hiruzen stood, his face twisted in a rare display of displeasure, a mixture of anger and regret. "Uzumaki Kushina! You think I want this future for you, either? Do you think I really want to see you have to carry this burden? I saw what it did to Mito! Carrying a demon inside of you cannot be taken lightly!"

His face was becoming red as he jabbed his forefinger at his desk, "I know I've made mistakes! My wife died having the child I begged her not to carry! I knew that pregnancy was dangerous, but I allowed her own to do as she wished, leaving me a widow and my children unfairly motherless because I didn't want to disappoint the only woman I have ever loved. I had left her to the wolves when I took this position, and she didn't deserve it! You don't think I haven't realized that my youngest son hates me? I'm never around because of my responsibility to this damned village! If either of us have a reason to be angry at Konoha, Kushina, it's me! I've sacrificed too much and have no benefits to reap!"

Her eyes were wide with shock. She had never heard him react in such an emotionally labile manner, "I-I..."

"And yet, _yet_, I offered myself as a vessel! At least then I could save you some pain. I didn't want this, Kushina! I want you to have the life you deserve, but never had a chance of! I may be strong, but _you_ are made for this, there is no denying _that_! Uzumaki blood is yours, and thus you have the power to conquer the nine-tails...to suppress it! I...do not."

He suddenly sat, his face stony and cold as he glared at his desk, his hands trembling. Kushina felt horrible for her earlier outburst. His voice was much softer as he continued to speak, "You are rationalized in your anger regarding your village's demise, Kushina, but I can assure you that their tie with Konoha was as strong as any. Again, by the time we had heard of an invasion, the village had been destroyed. We may never know who was responsible for it..." His eyes were red and rimmed with tears, "I'm sorry, my child, for asking this of you. Especially now. With so little time to consider it."

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, her own eyes misty. She hadn't realized that Hiruzen had been bottling these feelings. He had always been so strong and collected. She hadn't known he had been advocating for her. Of course she should have suspected it! He was her family!

Kushina inhaled deeply, suppressing her pride momentarily, "You are doing what a good Hokage should do: you are looking out for the best interest of your village." She stared past him, at the stone faces of the Hokage Mountain. "I should shut my mouth and do what any loyal kunoichi would do: serve my village without hesitation or question. Yet, here I am, being a chatterbox and not saying much of anything valuable once again."

She stared at him for some time, chewing her lip. When she spoke, her voice was low and steady, "Asuma doesn't hate you, you know. He just doesn't understand. It'll take time..."

Hiruzen scoffed at her words, "I'm not blind, girl. I can't gain that time back. It's too late for us. I can't turn back the tides and offer more of myself to him. He thinks I'm hard on him and that I have unrealistic expectations."

"Give him time to see it," she offered, leaning over his desk and resting her hand on his. They were cold beneath hers.

Hiruzen shook his head, sighing in exasperation, "I've chosen my successor. I'll have all the time in the world, and yet one son detests me and the other no longer needs me."

"You chose the next Hokage?" Kushina's brow furrowed. She had not heard this!

Hiruzen chuckled softly, "I had recommended you—"

"Me?" the red-head whistled, her eyes wide.

He glanced at her, his expression serious as he cleared his throat, "I thought that would save you from having to be the next jinchuriki. Besides, I remember you saying that you wanted to be the first female Hokage."

"That was ages ago! Before I knew what it entailed. I mean—" she sputtered, a small smile on her lips. She vaguely remembered Minato being around, laughing at her and telling her _he _was going to be Hokage some day. They had argued for hours about that, ending with her storming off as he triumphantly smiled after her.

_No wonder I hated him so much. He was always butting in unnecessarily! _she mused to herself. Funny, now...

"Before you realized it would tear your family apart?" he raised an eyebrow, his gaze filled with sadness, "Before you realized that you would have to sacrifice everything for thousands of people who could care less about what you gave to protect them? Isn't that similar, minus the stigma, to what I'm asking of you? Almost not any better, eh?"

Kushina said nothing, thinking about what he had confessed to her as well as what he had asked of her. She softly shook her head, "Not quite the same thing. But close."

"You can say no," Hiruzen offered, his voice soft as he watched her.

"To Hokage or jinchuriki?" she joked, despite the poor timing.

He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "None! Either!"

Who will it be?" Kushina asked.

"Huh?" Hiruzen grunted, looking up in surprise, "Hokage?"

"Who will be chosen if I do not take the offer for as the vessel for the nine-tails? Who gets to be the unlucky victim?" she repeated more slowly.

Hiruzen sat back in his chair, his expression revealing his discomfort. It was apparent that he did not agree with what he was going to share with her. "There was a woman who was with child when she came to the village in the same group as you. Her child is also a distant relative of Mito—"

"A child? So young!" Kushina whispered, shaking her head, "Is there no bounds to the extent they will go to in order to retain this demon? Perhaps it would be better to let it die with its retainer!"

"I had recommended that option as well," Hiruzen confided with distaste.

"No takers, eh?"

"The old coots want a weapon...in case a war is on our hands. Danzo, especially...always arguing with me!"

"So they only care about having power?" she tsked her earlier anger returning.

"It's more than that, yet it isn't," he cryptically responded.

Kushina knew that it would be a dead end to pursue the matter any further. She turned to exit the office, her hand resting the door handle as she voiced one last question. "Your successor. Who is it?"

Hiruzen was silent for some time, his eyes belaying his curiosity, "You already know that answer."

Kushina shook her head again, "Dammit. I did. It wasn't ever gonna be anyone else, was it?"

"Not many to choose from," he admitted, his inquiry subtle, "Do you agree with my decision?"

"I suppose so. He'll make one hell of a Hokage," she was surprised that her answer was honest. She inhaled deeply, shaking her head in mock disbelief.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere. I dunno," she glanced over her shoulder, attempting her best trademark grin, "I have a lot to think about. So, I guess I'm going...somewhere to think."

"Very well," he grunted, clasping his hands together over his desk, "I'll stall for as long as I can."

"Thanks," she murmured, pushing the door open, her hands trembling as the relived the conversation inside of her head.

She fled the office in hopes of clearing her mind of the suffocating thoughts. It was a lot to handle, and she was still emotionally volatile from her previous mission as well as the debacle with a certain blonde-haired soon-to-be Hokage. Would he know about this? What would he think of her if she were to take on the responsibility of a jinchuriki? She would be a monster!

It didn't matter, she would live a life of solitude. It was easiest that way. The burden would be only hers to carry. She violently shuddered as she left the Hokage's office, her head down as she tried to think of a place she could go and think about all that had been shared with her.

"Kushina?"

She glanced up, her eyes scanning the nearby group of people. Blonde hair caught her attention. Had she not been so upset, she may have had time to be embarrassed by her appearance as well as what had happened the night before. Her eyes fell to the three genin behind him. She immediately recognized the goggled Uchiha. He balked at her stare, reminded of their last encounter. He quickly reached up and pulled his goggles down over his eyes, which had grown rounder.

Staring at him reminded Kushina that she needed to stop by Mikoto's new home and congratulate her and her husband. She did not know Uchiha Fugaku very well, but being that he was the up and coming head of the Uchiha Police Force, she was sure that he was a skilled jonin. They had quickly and quietly married while Kushina was on assignment, though the red-head hadn't seen her friend in months. Mikoto's hasty wedding wasn't much of a surprise to Tsume, who had shared the news of the new Uchiha bride's pregnancy with Kushina. She would be the first of their friends to marry and start a family.

_Family..._

Kushina was torn from her thoughts when Obito made an off-hand comment about her blank stare and Minato called her name for a second time. She narrowed her eyes at the young Uchiha, causing him to tense in anticipation of another attack.

Instead, Kushina's eyes flickered up to Minato's questioning gaze. He was as confused as she felt, though for different reasons, of course. She blinked a few times, formulating her thoughts. Finally, she settled for being annoyed. She raised a hand to silence him, "Not now, Namikaze. I'm busy, dammit! Can't you see that? Important stuff to think about!"

She watched the pale-haired shinobi raise an eyebrow out of curiosity. She narrowed her eyes at him, meeting his look with a challenging one of her own. Obito looked at his sensei in confusion. Kushina opted to remain mum, continuing on her intended path without another word. Minato said nothing, the muscle in his jaw clenching as his eyes followed her movements as she continued past him and the trio of young shinobi at his heels. Three pairs of eyes besides his own tracked the kunoichi's hurried and anxious gait.

"What's that all about? She looked pissed," Obito muttered under his breath. Kakashi shrugged and Rin wrung her hand nervously. The goggled teen glanced up at his teacher,"Sensei?"

"Hmm?" Minato absently responded, his blue eyes darting back to his team.

"Didn't you two go on a _date _last night?" Obito pressed, "And _that's _the only response you get from her? Not impressive, Minato-sensei. Not at all."

"It wasn't a date," Minato replied softly, though even he wasn't convinced by this response. At least, he hadn't been until that interaction with the red-haired kunoichi. He had thought it went relatively _well_...

"Leave it be," Kakashi warned under his breath as he watched their team leader's brow knit in contemplation and concern.

Obito ignored Kakashi's heeding, prodding further, "Wow! You must have really screwed up if she's acting like _that _toward you! You probably tried to kiss her too soon." He tapped his chin as he tried to consider all the ways in which Minato may have angered Kushina, "Or maybe you said something that really ticked her off—"

"For the love of all that's holy, Obito," Minato growled, his palm smacking his forehead. He wasn't in the mood for the young man's goading, even if he were not being malicious, "Just shut the hell up!"

Minato's unusual display of anger did not stop Obito. "Yup, that's it, isn't it? You tried to kiss her. Probably didn't butter her up enough for it. You always have to get in a woman's good graces before you try to pucker up for the closer—"

"_She_ kissed _me_!" Minato blurted, his ears turning crimson as he realized what he had shared with his team. Three blank stares remained on him as he tried to think of how he was going to take _that _comment back. It was none of their business, yet his frustrations had gotten the better of him. He waved his hand frantically, "I mean—no, wait, er...justforgetaboutit!"

"No waaaay," Obito whispered, his eyes wide. Even Kakashi was taken aback by Minato's confession. "She used you as her playtoy and left you hanging! That's it, isn't it? She seduced you, Sensei..."

Minato shook his head, cursing under his breath as he walked ahead a few paces. He quickly spun around, his expression filled with annoyance as he saw the look of awe on Obito's face, indifference on Kakashi's, and discomfort on Rin's. He had humiliated himself in front of them, and now needed to atone for his mistake.

"For that, Obito, morning practice will be moved from eight to five a.m.," Minato told them, his eyes on the young Uchiha. His gaze flickered to the rest of the team, "You two can thank him for not knowing when to shut his mouth!"

With a puff of smoke, Minato disappeared, leaving the baffled trio to digest their new instructions. Kakashi was the first or recover, a crease forming between his eyes, "Way to go, moron. Now we have to get up that much earlier."

"Oh dear, Obito-san, why did you have to press the issue like that?" Rin squeezed her eyes shut, her hands nervously wringing as she clasped them in front of her.

"Huh? What'd _I_ do?" Obito looked between them, his mouth still hanging open from Minato's confession. He nodded toward where the blonde jonin had just been standing, "With a reaction like she had given him, I'd say he's one hell of a horrible kisser!"


	30. Desire and Duty

**A late Christmas present! **** Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday (whatever you celebrate)!**

**So, I can freely say that I have always intended for Kushina to be the nine-tails' container, but Kishimoto's revelation made me look unoriginal, at best. But, I decided to keep on truckin', and thus the story unfolds! **

**Please, as always, let me know what you think!**_** RxR!**_** Thanks for your continued support! **

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

He hadn't expected to see her so soon. Not the morning after the fact.

It wasn't that he didn't _want _to see her. No. It was that he wasn't sure how to _act _with her. Toward her.

He had dreamt of similar scenarios—albeit steamier—many times over. More so than he'd like to admit. But, nothing had prepared him for the actuality of it, even if "it" was comparable to a young kid stealing a kiss on the school playground.

The point was: _she_ had kissed _him_.

He had stared at her door for nearly twenty minutes, completely shocked by her actions. He hadn't intended for it to happen, as he was only acting out of concern for her well-being. He couldn't deny the overwhelming protectiveness that he had suddenly developed toward her as a result of their last mission. He had feared for her safety, and that fear had nearly destroyed him. He could still remember his name being whispered by her lips as he held her close, her life slowly leaving her. He could still recall the steady thrill of her heartbeat against his chest as he frantically ran for Konoha. Those were the things he would never forget...

They had never been close, though he found himself more intrigued with her as they aged—their differences drawing them closer. Her vicious contempt had slowly melted away, and she had warmed up to him over the years, though she would never admit to such. Perhaps it was a mutual understanding; he wasn't sure. He vaguely recalled the events she had accused him of, though all he really remembered of his Academy days were the pressures of being too far advanced for his year and the strain it had on his ability to make friends. It had been a difficult childhood, and he had bottled up a lot of anger toward the loss of his parents in the war. He never intended to be malicious toward Kushina, and was sorry for how he may have behaved. He was a child, they both were.

He could often remember reprimanding her for her practical jokes as young adults, seeing it as a barrier in her training—something he took seriously. He had been annoyed at how easily she made friends; how easily she had been able to speak with people and make them smile. Perhaps that frustration—and slight jealousy—had been taken out on the wrong person. Though, he now realized what he hadn't then: he had been smitten by the girl with the blood red hair. It was that knowledge, alone, that forced him to scrutinize her; to find a reason to dislike her. It would have been easier...

It was child's play—making fun of the one you like, was is not? Minato thought it harmless, though Kushina had argued otherwise. Either way, he had done his damnedest to treat her with nothing but respect and cordiality over the past few years. She had slowly allowed the wall to come down, and he had been let into her circle. Soon, cold jabs became sarcastic banter and he was suddenly a full-fledged victim of Kushina's loquaciousness. He had always reveled in the way she could talk for such long periods of time without taking a breath; he found it endearing and almost sexy. She was quite the wit in conversation, and he rather enjoyed the lack of seriousness she brought to their talks. It was a nice break from his demanding missions. He would have it no other way.

_It was a child's kiss_, he told himself, _it may have very well meant nothing. Nothing, Minato!_ Was it her way of thanking him for listening—a placid kiss?

Despite his rationalization, the fact that _she _kissed _him_ remained, and it didn't stop him from walking with a bit of a spring in his step on his way to his apartment. The odd giddiness that filled his belly and the smile that remained plastered on his face had been a welcome change from his often serious demeanor. As of late, he was faced with the prospect of becoming Hokage—a duty that he did not take lightly. He had dreamed of becoming the Fourth some day, and it seemed that the opportunity was quickly approaching. He had yet to share Hiruzen's wishes with anyone, though he could think of one person he would speak to about it...

_She's not your girlfriend! _His mind drifted back to the kiss, his insecurities amassing. _It couldn't have been _nothing_ could it? _

Why did that kiss make his stomach flutter? His heart race? His palms sweat? His...

_Stop there_, he warned himself.

…._could it?_

Right now, as he watched her storm away, her reaction toward him was supporting that very insecurity. He was surprisingly upset that he may have gotten his hopes up. His mouth suddenly became dry and his stomach contracted as he considered the very possibility that the previous night's kiss could have been nothing more than Kushina's impetuosity. Nothing more, nothing less.

He had to talk to her. He _needed _to.

"Kushina, er, w-wait!" he called out, his voice stern and lackluster as he tried to gain her attention. He could better gauge her reaction if the three genin weren't trailing behind him. Besides, their focus should be on the upcoming Chuunin Exams, not their leader's love life. Or lack thereof.

Kushina continued her fleeting steps away from him, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. He easily matched her stride, reaching out and gently grabbing her wrist. She whirled around to face him, her eyes empty, the whites tinged pink.

_Had she been crying? Was it because of..._

"What is it, Namikaze?" she fumed, though he felt as if the reaction was not entirely directed toward him, "I _told_ you I had something to do! What is so important that you can't leave me alone?"

He drew back slightly, surprised at the vehemence of her reaction. Her face was devoid of any hints of what she was thinking. Normally, he could read her like a book, but right now...the way her eyes darted anywhere but to his face, it seemed contrived. Misdirected, at best. He had a feeling, deep in his gut, that she was suppressing something—or avoiding it. But did it involve him?

"I just wanted to apologize about last night," he murmured, his eyes on her face and his head angled to study her reaction. He was hoping for any sign that his hopes had not been entirely quashed.

"Last night? That? _That!" _Her cheeks turned a shade brighter and her eyes widened as they shifted to his face, "You have nothing to apologize about! Just—just forget about it!"

Minato's brow creased in confusion, "You're not upset about the, uh, er—"

"No," she replied quickly, her eyes on the ground as her features softened. What was it? Regret? Shame? Fondness?

"Oh," he nervously scratched his neck, mussing his hair, "I thought...maybe...that's why you were upset—"

Kushina shook her head, pursing her lips in frustration, "Forget about what you _thought_, Minato. Just forget about..._everything_!" She looked to her right, sucking in her lower lip as if to keep herself from crying.

Surely she didn't mean that he should think nothing of what they shared, did she? Had he been a fool to convince himself otherwise? He studied her for a few moments, noticing how she continued to avoid his gaze. Even after all these years, and his best attempts to gain her trust, he could still feel that barrier that she placed between them. He wished he had the courage to express himself to her, but he couldn't.

He glanced at the Hokage Manor. Was she upset that _she _was not chosen for Hokage? He had actually broached the subject with the current kage.

"She's not interested in being the Hokage, Minato," he had waved a hand, dismissing the blonde's suggestion, "Though I'm sure she would appreciate your altruism." Dark eyes flashed knowingly, as Minato uneasily shifted on his feet. Why was that look always directed at him in reference to Kushina?

Minato took a deep breath, forcing the memory from his mind. He was barely able to contain his hurt at her brief response, "If it's about anything Hiruzen told you..." Her eyes grew wide as she looked away suddenly, he could see her flinch. "Are you angry about the Hokage's decision?"

Kushina looked him in disbelief, deep blue eyes studying his own. Minato pressed the issue further, thinking he had figured it out, "You do not feel I'll be a good Hokage? Or is it that you wish to have the position?"

"Hokage?" she breathed softly, blinking rapidly as her face fell and her posture relaxed. "Oh, that?" she sighed in relief, or so he thought. Kushina shook her head, closing her eyes and squeezing the bridge of her nose. "No, I have no problems with you becoming Hokage, Namikaze. Always knew it was in the cards for you." A small smile curved her lips upward, though it seemed as if it were spawned from a deep sadness. She sighed again, looking in the direction she had been walking.

Minato relaxed a little, somewhat surprised at how much he desired her support of him becoming Yondaime. Did he put that much weight on her good opinion of him? He studied her for few more seconds, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Are you...alright?" he asked suddenly, concerned about what else could be causing her to react like this.

"I'm fine," she muttered without hesitation, her eyes flickering off to her right. Away from him. Toward the sky. "Never been better."

_She's avoiding the issue. She's lying, _he told himself. He had always been good at reading his opponents, but it appears that attractive young women were not so easy. "You seem a bit...distracted," he cocked his head, "If you need to talk..."

"I don't need to talk! I _need _you to just leave me the hell alone with your million questions! I don't need a therapy session, Namikaze" she snapped, an unusual ferocity replacing her earlier defeat. She quickly twisted away from him, continuing on her earlier path.

Minato stepped back in shock, watching her walk away from him, altered from her vulnerable state the night before. He didn't' give up on anything easily, but he knew when to fold his cards. With Kushina this worked up, he knew it was best to allow her her space. It wasn't easy, but he would respect her desire for solitude. He chewed his lip as she disappeared from his sight, his insecurities toying with him once again. Her ability to go from hopeless to angry concerned him. Maybe he _had_ misinterpreted the night before. Maybe it had been wishful thinking on his part.

_No, _something inside of him whispered_. It has nothing to do with you. She was just in the Hokage Manor, but what could have been exchanged between her and Hiruzen? _

He signed in exasperation, the familiar presence closer. He knew she had been listening, though he was positive that it done with innocent intentions.

"What is it, Rin?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Minato-sensei," she whispered, stepping away from the building, her eyes watching the path that Kushina had taken. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Minato smiled, though his attempt was half-hearted. He knew that Rin was very good at reading others, and she thrived on behavioral observations. It was her gift, along with her medical abilities. "Well, what do you think of my predicament? All hope lost?"

The corners of her mouth turned down, her eyes on Kushina as the red-haired kunoichi moved farther away. "I...I think that she's very upset. But it's, er, something else...not you...Sensei"

Minato nodded. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but he felt somewhat relieved that Rin—a third party—had picked up on it as well.

"I guess I have my work cut out for me," he sighed. He found it ironic that he was having this discussion with a kid—his own genin, no less!

"Well, Sensei," she offered, her warm chocolate eyes meeting his as she frowned, "She kissed you, and...she doesn't seem the type to just go and do something, er, like _that_. So, knowing that, I wouldn't say that all hope is lost."

* * *

"You look...beautiful," Kushina breathed, her eyes wide as she was practically shoved into the large chambers by the mansion staff. Yuuki turned toward her, her mouth opening at the shock of seeing Kushina so properly _clothed_. The pale blue kimono with its yellow and pink orchids was a nice contrast to her deep red hair.

"No, _you _look beautiful, Kushina," Yuuki replied, bowing her head slightly

"What? Me?" Kushina's jaw snapped shut at the unsolicited compliment, "_You _are the bride, dammit! Don't say stuff like that! I'll go change into something else—"

"That is not necessary," Yuuki replied kindly, "I was simply saying that you look...unlike yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kushina narrowed her eyes.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She barely recognized the woman staring back at her. Her hair was partly up, twisted into intricate braids with sprigs of wildflowers weaved into the design. The rest of her hair was softly curled, falling in loose tendrils over her shoulders. Her eyes wandered over to Yuuki, the large white kimono billowing with each movement of her slender frame. Her dark hair was splendidly adorned, the peacock feathers shimmering as she bent her thin neck. Jewels sparkled in her ears, though it did not take away from the beautiful ceremony robe. Her face was lightly done in makeup, her high cheekbones beautifully blushed and her lips stained a berry color. Kushina had to admit, Yuuki was the most beautiful bride she had ever seen. Kushina shifted uncomfortably, avoiding the unfamiliar stare of her own blue eyes from the mirror. Today, they looked more purple than blue.

She shook the thoughts away, clearing her throat. "So...uh, what am I supposed to do, erm, exactly?"

The two female servants stopped what they were doing, glancing at one another and suppressing smirks. Kushina narrowed her eyes, " I saw that!" The girls quickly dropped their heads, going back to fluttering around Yuuki as they prepared the bride for the important event that was about to take place.

Yuuki looked at her for a moment, a blush on her cheeks, "I...I must admit, I'm not entirely sure."

"My lady!" one servant sputtered, her fingers covering her mouth, "You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am," Yuuki admitted, "Sad isn't it? I'm not one for weddings. I don't know how, er, these things work."

The girls giggled, putting on their final touches. Yuuki sighed, looking at Kushina, "I think...I think you just stand there and smile."

"Oh. That's all?" Kushina sighed. She was no good at maintaining smiles for long periods of time. It just wasn't..._her_. Yuuki nodded as she glanced at herself in the mirror. Kushina saw the slight tremble of the woman's hands as she raised her chin proudly.

"Not only that, ma'am," one of the servants kindly added, glancing at Kushina, "but you will escort Hyuuga-sama's appointed man."

"Heh?" Kushina asked, unsure of how wedding ceremonies actually worked. She was feeling slightly discombobulated from all the pomp that comes along with the territory of her position. She had agreed to Yuuki's request purely out of respect for the woman as well as her loyalty to Arashi. Yuuki had asked because Kushina had been such an important person to her future husband, and she could not fathom anyone but the red head standing beside her. "And who's that?"

Yuuki smoothed a few wrinkles in her starched wedding attire, clearing her throat before her pale silvery eyes flickered to Kushina, "Ken-san."

"Ken?" Kushina's mouth stayed open for longer than she had intended. She clamped it shut as the servants giggled softly, causing Kushina's cheeks to burn.

She hadn't spoken to him in some time. How was she supposed to suddenly act cheerful around her former best friend? Her stomach lurched as she thought about how she was going to deal with _that_. She truly missed Ken's presence in her life, but understood that if was difficult for him. It had been difficult for her to accept that she could never love him as he deserved.

_Oi, t__his is going to be much more painful than I thought_. Kushina inwardly cringed. She watched Yuuki hide her nervousness and she forced herself to once again become the steadfast attendant she had promised Yuuki she would be.

"You OK, Yuuki?" concern laced her voice as she decided if the new bride would be a flight risk. She had a plan set up for that fiasco if it happened, though she highly doubted it.

"Me?" Yuuki blinked innocently, a nervous smile lighting up her face, "Oh, yes, Kushina, I'm perfectly fine!"

"Don't worry," Kushina smiled, thinking it best to offer her maidenly words now, "You're the best thing that could happen to that stuffy family!"

* * *

It hadn't gone as badly as Kushina had expected.

In fact, it had actually gone quite _smoothly_. Ken had grinned the entire time, and even Arashi had been unable to contain his joy, his eyes never leaving his bride's face. He hadn't needed to exchange clones during the hour-long ceremony, and Kushina was quite impressed with his endurance. Hizashi and Inoichi had been working closely with Arashi, and Kushina could definitely see the progress in his abilities. Perhaps, at some point, he would be able to take on missions, though Kushina knew that prospect was far off in the future. Kushina had managed to smile at the right moments, doing her best to keep Yuuki's train wrinkle-free each time the bride shifted her position. Ken had managed to point out a missed wrinkle, causing Kushina to curse under her breath, though loud enough for Hiruzen to send her low warning. She found herself much more relaxed with Ken up there with her, and she realized she badly missed his friendship.

She glanced around the crowd, recognizing familiar faces. The Hokage was officiating the ceremony, and Hiashi had been kind enough to let the couple use the Main House's courtyard for their wedding. She had to admit, the Hyuuga heir had matured since their childhood. She didn't find him half as detestable as she remembered. Lost in her thoughts, Kushina continued to scan the crowd. A pair of bright blue eyes met her gaze before they quickly shifted away. Kushina pressed her lips together, turning her attention back to the ceremony. Had Minato been _staring _at her? She could still feel his eyes on her, though she was not brave enough to look again.

When the ceremony ended, Ken offered his arm to her. "Ready for the fun to begin?" he grinned, his eyes dancing with their old childish merriment.

"It's about time! At least I can ditch this stuffy outer coat!" she jokingly replied, glad to have someone to talk to as the onlookers stood and clapped for the newly wed couple in front of them.

"Who'd have thought this would be a Team Five reunion, eh?" Ken murmured under his breath, a melancholy look in his eyes. It was missed by Kushina.

She smiled, the weight of the world off of her shoulders now that Ken was talking to her like he used to. She looked around, everything looking much brighter as she was escorted behind the bride and groom. She glanced up ahead, finding Minato smiling stupidly as he congratulated Arashi and Yuuki, clapping the former on his shoulder. His eyes flickered to meet Kushina's, and she could feel her cheeks turn pink as she looked away, chewing her lip nervously.

She felt badly for how she had spoken to Minato, nearly a week earlier, and grateful that he had not tried to broach the subject again. Part of her missed the routine that had been their dinners at the ramen stand, but she had too much to be concerned with at the moment. She had been thinking about her meeting with Hiruzen, regarding the nine-tails, and had finally made a decision regarding his request. She did not want a young child to become the next jinchuuriki—it was too much for a kid! If Uzumaki Mito had chosen her, then it must be because Kushina was capable of becoming the next vessel. The thought frightened her—no, it terrified her—but she would be steadfast in her decision, no matter the cost. Regardless, in the end, it would work out for the best, she was sure.

She would forever be a vessel for the most feared demon in the world, and she would be the only one to know—aside from a few, select individuals. She would watch everyone find their own happiness as she maintained her duty to the village that took her in. She hoped the bitterness wouldn't be too awful to swallow. Mito had managed to live happily, for a while, at least.

Kushina took a deep breath as they approached the end of the aisle, smiling at those who called her name. She would enjoy these days of freedom, as they would be her last.

* * *

Kushina danced with the groom. She had danced with the Hokage. She danced with Hizashi as well. He moved fluidly, smiling at her and offering her a few compliments. She could see the faint flush on his cheeks as the dance ended. He bowed his head slightly.

"My thanks, Kushina," he murmured.

"No, thank you," Kushina replied with laughter, "I'm such a poor dancer! It's amazing anyone keeps asking me. All I do is trip over this damned dress!"

"Poor dancer?" he asked, his eyes widening as he stood upright. "I do not think so. I would be brave enough to ask for another dance if you are willing, that is."

Kushina was shocked by Hizashi's boldness, though she couldn't deny being somewhat flattered by the Hyuuga's interest. He had always been kind to her, but she had chalked it up to his nature. He was a handsome man, even with the cruel symbol emblazoned across his forehead. She smiled kindly, an answer on her lips.

"Move it, Hyuuga!" came the cheerful warning. "It's my turn to dance with my old teammate! You've been confiscating her time for long enough!"

Hizashi smiled in return, his feelings unhurt, "Ah, better not stand between the bonds of a genin team. Perhaps later, Kushina?"

"Perhaps," she offered, not entirely against the prospect. She turned to look up at Ken, somewhat surprised by his words and light mood.

"Dance with me, Kushina?" he held out a hand as Hizashi disappeared into the crowd.

"You sure your girlfriend won't get angry?" she teased, raising an eyebrow as she slipped her hand into his.

"Nah, she's not the jealous type," Ken twirled her around. "That's why I like her!"

"Nice!" She laughed as he spun her again.

"I think Arashi made a good decision, don't you?" he asked her as he held her away from him, one hand on her hip, another holding her hand.

"Do you mean in his choice of a bride?" she asked, puzzled.

"Nah, to get married."

"Oh," she furrowed her brow as they other couples joined them in dancing. She glimpsed Minato standing beside the dance floor, speaking to Hiruzen. He cast a glance her way before continuing his conversation. She blushed. "I—uh, I guess so."

Ken sighed, "Well, you're not much of a talker. What happened? You used to chat my ear off about everything."

"Well, that comes with the territory when you don't speak to me for nearly a year," she replied calmly. She felt her former anger coming back, but she suppressed it. They were past that.

"Ah, yes, I expected that from you. I guess I sort of deserve it, though _you _broke _my _heart," he pointed out. Another twirl.

Kushina inhaled deeply, squeezing her eyes shut at the memory. "I know. And I'm sorry for that. I still wish—"

"Do not worry, all is forgiven," he replied quickly, clearing his throat, "And, what about you?"

"What about me?" she asked, her eyes snapping open as she stepped on his toes. She silently cursed her dancing skills.

"Well, haven't you and Minato been, uh..." he trailed off, watching her carefully as his face betrayed nothing.

"Me and...Minato?" she repeated softly, confusion in her voice. This time she nearly tripped over her own feet.

"Yeah," he replied, glancing over his shoulder, "I thought..."

"No, you thought wrong, Ken!" Kushina's voice was much more stern than she had meant for it to be. "There is nothing between me and Minato."

"Oh." He was silent for some time as they danced, the music carried out into the night. After a few more minutes, he leaned in closer, his mouth near her ear. "Look, Kushina, you can't spend your entire life denying how you feel. You held it from me, and look how much that hurt both of us. Just do me a favor: make yourself happy, alright?"

Kushina said nothing, her mouth falling open. Was Ken really telling her what she thought he was? He raised an eyebrow, "What? No witty retort?"

A hand snaked over his shoulder, and Ken turned around, a smile ready on his lips, "I was wondering when you'd come find me!"

"Kushina-san," the medic smiled genuinely. "So good to see you. I hope you don't mind if I reclaim my date for one dance. It seems he's been flirting with half the village."

Ken pouted, "Have not. A quarter, maybe."

They started laughing, and Kushina quickly recovered, nervously joining them in their mirth. "No, no! He's all yours. Take him. Please!" she waved her hands in mock disgust.

"I'm glad you are so eager to get rid of me," Ken feigned insult. "I thought I was a pretty spectacular dancer!"

Kushina cursed at him and they broke into laughter once again. She wiped the tears from her eyes, as she caught her breath. "He's all yours! Thanks for the dance, Ken! I think I'm gonna go sit out for a minute. Find Tsume or Yoshino. I haven't seen them all night."

"Fair enough," Ken smiled, offering his arm to his date. His eyes flickered behind Kushina, "Looks like you may have a bit of difficulty with that."

"Huh?" Kushina was confused as the pair quickly weaved through the dance floor leaving her to her own thoughts. She shook her head in confusion before turning around. She hit something hard, stumbling backward from the impact. "What the—"

"Are you alright?" came the concerned voice, as a hand reached out to steady her on her feet. Minato's hand.

Kushina looked up in confusion, her eyes meeting a bright blue gaze that reminded her of the ocean bordering her home village. His hair was in its usual blonde disarray, but she couldn't deny that he looked handsome in his deep rust-colored dressing robes.

"I-I'm fine, thanks for asking. You could have warned me you'd be right behind me, Namikaze," she grumbled, feeling sheepish.

"I was about to, but you turned around so quickly," he replied, as he took a step away from her. His face was a mixture of seriousness and agitation.

"Whaddya doing there, anyhow?" she asked pointedly.

His eyes widened slightly, and she could see the sheen of sweat on his upper lip. He licked his lips, "I was going to ask you to dance."

"Me?" she replied stupidly. She cringed as she heard the scathing way she had responded. The look of defeat that crossed his face made her feel worse. She sighed, rubbing her head, "Not now, Minato. I just need to sit down. I appreciate you asking, I really do, but I have a headache."

"I understand, I'm sorry for bothering you," he replied softly as his eyes studied her face.

Kushina nodded, wordlessly walking past him, her shoulder brushing his. She could feel the warmth of him against her skin, and she found that she ached to feel it again. She shook her head, ignoring her fleeting desire as well as the profound knot in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

She slurped loudly on her spiced beverage as Tsume stepped up beside her. For once, the woman's hair was neat. Kushina grinned, "You look good."

"Eh, shut up," Tsume growled, her eyes staring ahead, "What do you think of that one?"

Kushina looked to where Tsume had indicated, seeing a young man about their age. He had dark hair that was slightly disheveled, and he was speaking to a handful of other shinobi. He was a jonin who had come from another village, year ago. She had seen him around Konoha, but had never spoken with him directly.

"He's cute, I guess." Kushina replied meekly, shrugging. She wasn't sure where this was going.

"Good," Tsume downed her drink quickly, licking her lips as she slammed the glass on the table, "I'm going to try to screw him."

"What?" Kushina nearly choked on her drink. "D-Don't say things like _that_!"

"Why not?" Tsume grinned, "I like him, he has some interest in me, why shouldn't I?"

Kushina could feel her ears burning from embarrassment. "Do what you want, just don't _tell _me you are going to do it! Too much information, Tsume!"

"You're such a prude," Tsume shot back, an incisor bared. "Maybe if you just let a certain blonde—"

Kushina felt her face grow red."Stop it," she hissed in annoyance.

"Oh come _on_," Tsume snorted, "We all see it. How much longer are you going to deny that you aren't interested in him?" Kushina remained mum as she stared at the ground, her fingers white as they pressed against the glass of her drink.

Tsume continued, her voice low, "I'm not saying you have to go bone him. I'm just saying, why not let the poor guy at least have a chance? He saved your life, for shit's sake! You're one hell of a kunoichi and the best friend I have, so I'll be damned if I allow you to sit around and be completely oblivious to your own feelings!"

The red-head stared at her friend for some time, words failing her. Tsume sighed her impatience, "I'm sorry. I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but I've been drinking, so why not? Right now, I just want laid, and I'm going to get what I want. Anything else can wait, OK?"

Kushina's lips twitched upward in a smile. She rolled her eyes, "You're something else, Inuzuka."

"Damned right!" Tsume howled as she pushed off the table, walking toward the jonin like a wolf slinking toward its prey. Kushina watched with bated amusement. She wished she had half the nerve Tsume had.

_That boy has no idea what's about to happen to him_.

The sound of someone clearing their throat from beside her caused the lopsided smile to disappear from her face.

"M-Minato?" she stammered, annoyed that he had taken her by surprise. Again.

He pressed his lips together, looking at the ground for a moment. His blue eyes darted back to her face, "Kushina, can we speak for a second?"

"Sure..." Kushina felt her heart flutter as he shifted on his feet. She had never seen him this agitated before.

"I'm leaving for a mission tomorrow night and," he nervously sputtered his face pink as he glanced at her through blonde bangs, "I wanted to see if...if..."

"If what?" Kushina blurted before she could stop herself.

He looked away, a bead of sweat running down his temple, "If you'd gotodinnerwithme."

Kushina stared at him for a few seconds, realizing what he was asking. "Go to dinner?"

"Yeah," he nodded, his color returning, as well as his confidence. "At a real restaurant. Not that the ramen stand isn't!" He waved his hands in the air defensively.

"To dinner?" she echoed again, as if she hadn't heard him the first time. Realization struck her. "Like a d-d-date?"

Minato said nothing, watching her intently, his fists curled as he awaited her final answer. He softly nodded his head, "Yes. Like...that."

_Of course like a date, you fool! _her inner voice yelled at her. _And you damned well know you want to accept it. _ Her life briefly flashed before her eyes. A red-haired girl with pigtails and bright blue eyes popped into her mind. _I'm daydreaming of our children? _she inwardly seethed. _Get it together_!

Her mind screamed for her to accept it—to say yes. He looked so vulnerable standing before her, running his hands though his hair nervously. For the second time that night, realization struck her like a ton of bricks: Tsume and Ken had been right this entire time! No matter how much she told herself she was not interested, deep down, she harbored feelings for him. In these past few years, those feelings had grown into what she was experiencing at this exact moment. She stared at him, her mouth agape and her hands trembling. She didn't want to fight her feelings anymore. She wanted to say yes, except something was holding her back.

In a few weeks, she would be a kyuubi container.

And this would never work.

Her momentary joy came crumbling down around her as she roused her resolve. She met his expectant gaze with a steely one of her own. "I'm sorry, I can't."

"Huh?" Minato replied, somewhat taken aback, "Why not?"

Kushina raised her chin, "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. But I'm not interested in you, Namikaze. I never was and never will be."

His face fell as she spoke the hurtful words. Kushina couldn't take it any more. She dropped her glass, lifting her dress to walk by him. "I'm sorry, Minato."

She could feel the tears threatening to rise as her throat constricted. She could hear him stutter a few times as she walked away. She didn't return to the party, instead walking up the hill, away from Minato. Away from everything. She allowed her silent tears to escape as she broke into a run. Soon, she was kilometers from the wedding celebration, staring out at the large silvery moon that illuminated the forest below the cliff . She wiped away her tears, sniffling in anger. _Why does it have to be like this? Why? _

She felt his presence, and she spun around instinctively. The tears shone in her eyes as she stared at him, "Why did you follow me? I told you-"

"I don't believe you." His reply was simple and direct. His eyes were steady on her face as he slowly approached.

She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, "You obviously don't know me well enough."

He angled his head, walking toward her with caution—as if she were a fleeting animal he did not wish to startle. He stopped a few feet from her, his features soft as he spoke, "I know you say that it meant nothing the other night. But, I don't think this is how you'd react," he gestured to her puffy, tear-streaked face, "if that were true."

"Would you stop analyzing me!" she growled, upset that he was correct in reading her emotions.

His eyes never left his face, as he spoke, "You kissed me."

"I already told you—" she attempted to walk past him, as new tears started to prick her eyes. This time, he gently put out an arm to stop her.

"I heard you, and I'm telling you I don't believe you," he repeated, his voice steady. It was as if he found some new courage to help him confess his thoughts. "You may not admit to how you feel about me, so let me tell you how I feel." His brow furrowed as he stepped past her, and she found herself frozen in place. She turned to watch him as he stared out at the forest below them, his hands behind his back. An image of him standing like this in the Hokage's office, a stone replica of his face on the large mountain flickered into her mind...

"The first thing I remember about you is your hair. Beautiful red hair. I had so badly wanted to speak to you, even as a child, but I was foolish and allowed myself to succumb to peer pressure. I had wanted to make friends, and that," he turned his head slightly, the moonlight falling on his face, though he did not look at her, "apparently trumped the fact that you were new to Konoha and in a very vulnerable state. You were who they chose for me to approach."

Kushina said nothing, frozen—torn between wanting to hear what he had to say and running from the the edge of the bluff.

"My first crush," he looked at the sky, "And I tried so badly to forget it. But, no matter how much I tried, I could never forget you. Ever. I dated, but all I thought about was you. I went on extensive missions and trained with Jiraiya for years." He turned to look at her, his eyes tortured as he confessed the depths of his heart to her, "Yet, you were the first person I wanted to see when I returned home, even if you swore you hated me."

Kushina's eyes were wide as she listened, pulled in by the vulnerability he was displaying to her.

"Everything I said to you, you found offense. I was stupid, but I was smitten," he shook his head and chuckled. "But, yet, I tried to tell myself that it would pass in time." He turned away, once again, and walked toward the edge of the cliff. "No matter where I go, or what I do, I can't forget you, Uzumaki Kushina. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I respect you as a shinobi."

He turned back to her, the same tortured gaze boring into her, "Which is why I am telling you all of this. I want you to know. And, in knowing, if you can tell me you don't care in return, I will leave you alone, as you wish. You know how I feel about you, and yet, I know nothing of what you think of me."

He watched her, waiting for a response. Kushina swayed on her feet, fresh tears springing to her eyes. She hadn't expected him to share his feelings so candidly. Did she cause him so much pain? She wanted to pull him into her arms and hold him. She wanted to feel his lips against her, his hands on her body. Yet, she knew it was all impossible. She would be a jinchuuriki.

"I'm sorry," she replied, tears slipping down her cheeks, her eyes shining in the moonlight.

He was in front of her, his thumbs pushing away the tears as he gently held her face, "Tell me why. I need to hear it." His voice was soft and filled with longing and pain.

"I-I can't.." she whispered, her eyes closing at his touch.

"Why?" he asked again. "You kissed me. And I know you well enough to know you don't just kiss anyone, Kushina." Rin's words. His thoughts.

She said nothing, biting her lip to hold back her sobs. She wanted to tell him everything—that she would be a vessel for a demon. She would be a monster! Would he still speak so fervently to her then? Or would he shun her?

She shuddered_, _thinking back to what Hiruzen had said about the weakened state of pregnancy. She couldn't risk hundreds of thousands of lives for a fleeting moment of happiness! She had made a resolution; she was going to do this alone.

She whimpered, her tears falling. She reached up and pulled his hands from her face, "I'm sorry, but I can't give you a reason. I can only tell you that I don' feel that way—"

The words were trapped in her mouth as he pulled her against him, his hand gently cradling the back of her head as his fingers caressed the nape of her neck. His lips were soft yet urgent as he pressed them against hers. His other hand slipped to her back as he pulled her toward him, his mouth pressing harder against hers. She gasped at the sudden movement, and he took advantage of it. She was shocked at the experience he displayed as he kissed her, his tongue brushing her lips, pushing past them. She silently screamed at herself to pull away—to end the kiss before if began.

But she couldn't.

Her fingernails dug into the fabric of his robe and she could feel his pulse beneath her fingertips as she squeezed the material. She found herself returning the kiss before she could stop herself, and her former resolve began to crumble. She reached up and grabbed the sides of his face, her fingers splaying in his hair as she allowed the kiss to continue. He tasted slightly of alcohol and she suspected that his courage was purely liquid.

She suddenly pulled away, wiping her mouth with her fingers, "Stop! Please!"

He stood there, breathing hard as he stared down at her. "Kush-" he rasped.

"No!" she shook her head, her lips wanting his. Still. "We can't do this! _I_ can't do this! I told you-"

"You're not being honest!" his words were harsh as he continued to hold her. The front of his robe was in disarray from where she had tugged on it. She could see the flesh of his chest, the rise and fall of his breastbone as he tried to catch his breath. She averted her gaze, pushing away from him.

She stumbled backward, "You don't know what you're asking for, Namikaze! You're going to be Hokage, and you can't be involved with a jin—"

His eyes grew wide, but she managed to stop herself before she blurted the word: _jinchuuriki_. Before she could say anything else, she ran from him, once again. She leaped amongst the tree tops as she wiped her eyes. Soon, her tears were a distant memory as she sped for her apartment. She threw open her door, slamming it behind her and leaning her forehead against the knobby wood. Her cheeks were burning as the memory of the kiss was bright in her mind. She sucked in deep breaths to calm herself, her heart bounding in her ears.

"Dammit!" she hit the wood with her fist, "Dammit, dammit!" Trembling fingers touched her lips as she remembered how he tasted. She longed for his lips and she hated herself for it.

"Are you going to leave me in the dark all this time, Kushina?" came the throaty voice from behind her. "This is no way to treat your guest."

Kushina's eyes grew round as she spun around, not recognizing the presence in her own home. She reached for her kunai, but realized she had none. Her mouth grew dry at her negligence.

"W-Who are you? And how do you know my name?"


	31. Intervention

**A/N: I'm evil, no (you'll see...)? You all = awesome-est readers ever. Thanks for all the support. RxR!  
**

_Thanks to my anonymous reviewers: (no name person), MTFBWY, Hulkishpower (love the name), Sophie. _

Disclaimer: same every freakin' time. See CH1.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina's heart was beating quickly; the blood pulsating in her ears as she awaited an answer from the unknown intruder. She was met with none, and her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark apartment before her. She could hear a soft tapping and the steady breathing of the second presence. She furiously tried to think of where she had hidden the nearest kunai.

_In the umbrella bin to your right_, she silently reminded herself. She tried to remain calm as she anticipated a possible attack. Any sudden moves may alert her opponent, so she would have to tread lightly

"Well? Answer me, dammit!" Kushina hissed in distraction. She slowly bent her body so that her fingers grazed the top of the ceramic holder. She could feel its cool contour beneath her fingertips. A few more inches...

_Almost!_

"Tch," came the hoarse voice. A woman's voice. It was grating and filled with vehement annoyance. "Is this the respect of the Konoha elite?"

Kushina only slightly paid attention as her fingers slipped inside of the vessel. She realized she hadn't responded and quickly tried to think of an answer in order to hide her true intentions. Her thoughts were interrupted by the intruder.

"If you're looking for your kunai, don't waste your time," the unwelcome visitor informed her.

"Huh?" Kushina's mouth fell open. The lights suddenly flickered on, and she was surprised to see the woman standing in her kitchen. Kushina's eyes darted to the woman's face, where she could see a graying eyebrow raised in..._amusement_?

The woman knowingly shrugged, her arm lowering from the light switch, "I assumed you would be startled and try to attack. I took appropriate measures, of course. This body doesn't move like it used to." Her thin lips stretched into a satisfied smile. One of knowing and triumph.

Kushina blinked as she quickly straightened, her shock evident on her face. She stood in disbelief for some time, unsure of what to make of the crone in her kitchen. "Y-You! You're just...an _old woman_!"

The intruder suddenly stood taller, her eyes flashing their anger. Her physical appearance changed slightly, and it was not missed by Kushina, who balked at the fleeting transformation. The hoarse voice grew louder, "Just because I hadn't intended to hurt you doesn't mean I won't_, child_!"

Kushina gasped as an odd sensation of foreign chakra suddenly surged through her. Her hair prickled on the back of her neck and a bewildering sense of premonition poured over her. She quickly realized that the powerful feeling was emanating from the old woman standing in the middle of her kitchen. She was unfamiliar to the kunoichi, but Kushina couldn't deny the odd sense of _knowing_ that she felt in the gray-haired woman's presence.

Suddenly, it hit her. Her surprise melted into tentative amusement as she pursed her lips in recognition. She inhaled deeply, raising her eyes to meet the pale gray ones that were waiting expectantly. Adrenaline coursed through her, but she felt less on edge at her realization—her courage momentarily restored. "So the Shodai's wife has resorted to breaking and entering?"

The same gray eyebrow as before shot upward as the corner of her withered mouth twitched. Kushina couldn't decide if it were out of annoyance or amusement. After a moment, and a few steps toward the table, the old woman responded, "It's not really _breaking and entering_ if your door is _unlocked_ is it, girl?"

Kushina's mouth fell open in shock. Her head silently dropped in defeat as she clenched her fists. "Shit." _The old bat has a point! _Kushina: 0, Old Woman: 1.

The woman tsked again, her head shaking softly. Wisps of gray hair floated around her face from the movement. "This language you use! It's very unbecoming of a Uzumaki lady. Is this how you talk?"

She was answered by the faint shaking of Kushina's shoulders. She said nothing, watching the red-head's reaction. Her expression grew from distaste to annoyance as tears began to stream down Kushina's face while her soft laughter announced her mirth.

"Y-You...First's w-w-wife...in m-my apart-t-ment!" She was gasping for air as she bent forward, laughing at the sheer hilarity of the Uzumaki Mito sneaking in her apartment and successfully disarming her.

"It's not that ridiculous, is it?" Mito stood taller, her hands on her hips as her long hair swayed behind her. She wore the top of her hair secured in two buns on either side of her head. A dark blue diamond-shaped mark sat in the middle of her forehead. Her lips turned white as she pursed them in anger, "Snap out of it, girl!"

Kushina immediately stopped laughing as the unfamiliar chakra washed over her once again. She stared in wide-eyed awe at the First Hokage's widow. She was old and thin, but she was still a force to be reckoned with, Kushina knew. No, she _felt _it. She suspected that the surprising chakra pressure was byproduct of the demon sealed inside Mito.

"I'm sorry," Kushina bowed her head apologetically, sobering at Mito's words. "It's just...it's been an odd night."

"Break up with your boyfriend, did you?" the woman asked, her gaze steady as she lowered herself into a chair at the small round table. She winced in pain, the expression fleeting as she recomposed herself.

"M-me? Boyfriend?"Kushina stuttered, taken aback by the unsolicited inquiry.

Mito watched her carefully, her fingers tapping on the table as she awaited an answer. The soft _tap tap tap _of her neatly manicured nails lulled Kushina. The red head returned the skeptical gaze with a dazed one of her own.

"Well? Don't you think you should answer your elder?" Mito finally snapped, her annoyance visible on her face. "What is with these young kids not respecting their elders?" she muttered under her breath. Kushina thought she could hear a few well-placed curses, though she wasn't sure if it were wishful thinking on her part. In the dim light, she could see flecks of deep auburn intermingled with the gray strands of aged hair.

"My apologizes, my lady," Kushina murmured respectfully. "I have no boyfriend, and was unsure of why you would say such a thing."

Mito studied her for a few seconds, her voice soft as she spoke, "I had that very look on my face—the same one you wore when you came into this apartment—at one time in my life as well. Not very far off from where you are now."

"It was dark, my lady," Kushina protested. "How could you see anything?"

"Please. Sit." Mito waved her hand at the chair across from her, choosing to ignore Kushina's question, "And no more of that 'my lady' crap! I may be old, and a former Hokage's wife, but just call me by my first name. Mito."

Kushina stared at her, "I-I can't! It's too informal."

"Sure you can," the elderly woman replied easily, a wry grin on her face, "You've done a good job at being disrespectful so far."

Kushina's mouth fell open in shock as she stared at the graying woman. Mito's demeanor reminded Kushina of someone, but she couldn't think of _who_. The widow chose her words carefully, "Your voice, your breathing, your words. You were upset. I was merely asking why, is all."

Kushina looked away, slowly sitting as Mito had instructed. She chewed her lip, deciding how to answer such a direct question. "It's just been...one of those days."

"But a boy's involved, eh? I'm not wrong on that account," she pressed firmly, her gray eyes never leaving Kushina's face.

Kushina said nothing, doing her best to push the thoughts of Minato's kiss and confession away.

"Ah, boys," Mito finally spoke, her eyes unfocused as she rested her chin on her interlaced fingers. "Such trouble, no?"Kushina responded with a slight nod, despite remaining silent. "Hashirama," she murmured, more to herself. A lazy smile pulled at her thin lips, her wrinkles smoothed by the movement. Kushina could envision a much younger Mito—a beautiful First Lady, no doubt. The red-headed kunoichi allowed her visitor to reminisce about better days.

"Why...are you here, my—" Kushina finally interrupted as her patience waned. She was met with an icy glare from the elderly Uzumaki, "Mito-sama!" The woman closed her eyes, sitting back in the chair. It creaked from the movement, and Kushina grimaced. She should really get newer furniture. She glanced at the turquoise clips in Mito's hair, her eyes widening in surprise. She had those very same clips!

"Your, erm," Kushina pointed to Mito's hairline.

"I know," Mito nodded solemnly. "They were from me. I had Lady Sarutobi give them to you."

Why had Kushina not known that? "Why?"

"Because we are clanswomen. You had no family, and I had simply watched you grow from the shadows."

"Creepy," Kushina muttered under her breath, low enough for the older woman to miss. She glanced up at the aging face before her, her blue eyes on the diamond-shaped mark on Mito's forehead. Her eyes narrowed, "What's that tattoo for? Kind of an odd place for it, no?"

Shriveled fingers reached up to stroke the indicated spot. Mito's lips stretched mischievously and Kushina gasped, nearly falling backward off of her chair. She hooked her toe under the table, preventing herself from crashing to the floor. Her arms flailed as she regained her balance, her palms slamming onto the table.

"Holy hell, old woman!" she breathed, her eyes wide as she watched Mito's transformation, visibly impressed.

"Not so old now, am I?" Mito chuckled, her voice still the same, hoarse voice of a much-older woman.

Kushina shook her head slowly, taking in the younger woman before her. Though she couldn't be sure, the kunoichi felt as if Mito's new appearance was true to her earlier years. She sat taller, her deep red hair cascading around her slender neck. Her cheeks were blemish-free, the crevices smoothed and her deep gray eyes smiling. Her lips were pink and plump, and her polished fingernails danced over her new complexion as her eyes twinkled. Her shoulders were smooth and her bosom much larger than Kushina's. The kunoichi stared in awe at the woman before her—an aura of power and beauty emanating from the First's widow.

As quickly as she had transformed into a beautiful young woman, Mito reverted back to her withered, aged self. She cleared her throat and closed her eyes, as if regaining her bearings.

"H-How did you do that?" Kushina whispered, still in shock.

Mito tapped her forehead, "There is a lot you need to learn about your people, Kushina." Her pale eyes opened and Kushina could feel the overwhelming sadness swimming within them. "We are noble and very skilled in fuinjutsu."

"I was aware of the Sealing Techniques bit," Kushina muttered, her eyes still on Mito. "Is that what that mark is?"

"It is a manifestation of that," Mito agreed, offering a crooked, half-hearted smile. "One of my inventions. I had passed that knowledge to my granddaughter, but I would not hide it from you, as you are my only other living relative, it seems."

"We are closely related, then?"

"Your grandmother was my niece," the former Lady Hokage admitted.

"No way! That would make you-" Kushina's eyes were round with disbelief. She was never gifted at math, but she was desperately trying to calculate Mito's age.

"I was a teenager when she was born, yes," Mito bowed her head, hiding her smile, "And I was a bit older than Hashirama when we married."

Kushina grimaced at the thought. "A _bit_?"

Mito's eyes darted to her face as she raised an eyebrow. Kushina wondered if it were her trademark move. "We Uzumakis live long lives, child. That is what we are known for. We also hide our ages well." She tapped her forehead at the last comment, a knowing smile tugging at her thin lips. Mito laughed, shaking her head. "Hashi was no spring chicken when we married or had our first child!"

"Still," Kushina muttered under her breath, "Weird."

"I'd appreciate it," came the chilling voice as Mito snapped her retort, "If you'd stop making comments about my age!"

Kushina felt the overwhelming raw power once again, and she risked a glance at the older woman. Mito's arms crossed over her chest as she shot an icy glare at the young kunoichi. Kushina bowed her head, suddenly feeling sorry for her unkind words. She could tell that the memory of the Shodai weighed heavily on the former Lady Hokage.

"My apologies, M-Mito."

Her angry exterior suddenly faded as she waved her hand effortlessly, "Ah, to be young again! I'm nearly five times your age!"

Kushina remained silent. _Is this what I'll be like someday? One hundred and lonely? _

"Mito?" Kushina whispered, clearing her throat. Pale eyes flickered to her face expectantly. "Why did you come here? You never answered me."

"Yes, why did I come here?" Mito echoed thoughtfully, "I wanted to speak with you about all of this. I know it's a huge burden to carry, especially so soon after hearing it from Hiruzen's mouth." She rested her hand on her chest. "Being a container for the Nine Tails is no easy feat, and I'm sure you have a lot of questions that you want answered."

Kushina chewed her lip, cognizant of future she would be faced with. She nodded her head softly, "You are right. I do."

"That is only natural, my dear," Mito spoke softly, offering a sad smile, "I had no chance to think about it. It was on a whim I took it upon myself to seal the demon inside of me."

"Just like that?" Kushina's eyes widened slightly.

"Just like that," Mito agreed, the corners of her mouth pulling upward. "I'll tell you all about it some time," she wave her hand to indicate the exchange between them, "I had tried to put this off...as long as I could. I had hoped the village would let the demon die with me. But...it is their safety—their secret weapon. Dark times will fall again, no doubt."

"I understand, thank you," Kushina whispered, grasping Mito's words.

The older woman sighed softly, her hand reaching out and patting Kushina's fingers. "I would like to spend some time getting to know you before the exchange. I think it'll help the process...for both of us, I think."

"I would like that," Kushina felt some of her anxiety wash away, though she wasn't sure if it was because of Mito's words or her touch.

Mito's smiled sadly, "I would also like to teach you our clan's Sealing Techniques, if you would be willing. Hiruzen tells me you have a talent for it as is."

Kushina nodded, "I would be willing. I think it would be...good. I have some ability with seals, surprisingly."

Mito's eyes darted to her withered hands, "You already possess the chakra for it, so the lessons will be quick and easy for you. I have it recorded for your eyes, but I'd like to teach you, anyhow."

"I appreciate your tutelage," the red-head replied honestly. Her smile fell and she suddenly felt very weary. She looked up at the older woman, her eyes searching Mito's face as her voice was a hoarse whisper, "I'm afraid. I'm scared to carry the nine-tails."

"That, too, is only natural, my dear," Mito squeezed her hand, reassuringly. "That is why I will be here to help you through it. All of it."

The elderly woman looked around her, noticing the tiny sliver of dawn peeking over the far hills that were visible from Kushina's kitchen window. As if deciding she had said enough, Mito suddenly stood, her robes rustling with the movement. "It's late, and I should go. I will send for you tomorrow. We can commence your lessons and answer your questions. Is that suitable for you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kushina agreed as Mito brushed past her for the front door.

"Good, I will see you later, Uzumaki Kushina." Mito bowed her head in farewell, her hand on the door handle. She paused, her face suddenly registering something. "Oh, before I forget..."

Kushina watched as the woman reached into her robe and pulled out a kunai. She lazily dropped it into the urn by the front door—the one Kushina had tried to pluck the weapon from, earlier. Her withered hand reached back into her robe and she removed three more. She quickly twirled them on her fingers, smiling at some long-forgotten memory that only she knew of. Kushina's fingertips trailed under the table, only to realize that _that _kunai was missing as well. Had Mito managed to find _all _of her hidden weapons?

"Here! You may want to find a more original hiding spot, child. They were easy to locate." Mito called out, tossing the kunai to the red-haired kunoichi. She tsked, shaking her head as she pulled the door open and stepped onto the threshold outside. She didn't look back as she spoke over her shoulder, "And find that boy and apologize for whatever you may have stupidly said to him before he goes on a mission distracted by a broken heart."

As suddenly as she had appeared, she was gone.

For the second time that night, Kushina was left speechless.

* * *

The soft _whoosh _of paper sliding under her door in the early morning caused Kushina to stir. She yawned and stretched before she lumbered toward the front door. She eyed the piece of paper warily. The handwriting was fluid and elegant—the handwriting of a woman. A very distinguished woman, no less.

Kushina plucked the paper from the floor, turning it over and tearing the seal. She read it over once.

_Come at your convenience. Mito. _

She found the address scrawled on the bottom of the paper. She was unfamiliar with the whereabouts of the former First Lady's dwellings, but she was sure that it wouldn't be too troublesome to locate. She wanted to eat and shower, then she would be on her way. There was a prospective new mission for her, but she would delay her deployment until after she met with Mito. She had a lot of questions and she found she was looking forward to her time with Hashirama's widow. She wanted to know more about her family and clan as well as their Sealing Techinques. More importantly, however, Kushina wanted to know what it was like to be the jinchuuriki of the most powerful demon in the world. She wanted to know how the exchange of retainers would work as well as her limitations as the carrier of the nine-tails.

Her thoughts wandered to Mito's parting words the night before, which naturally took her mind to Minato's kiss. She blushed at the memory, suddenly embarrassed by the prior night's events. She recalled him telling her he was leaving on a mission that day, but she couldn't bring herself to face him. She doubted his heart was broken, nor that he was silly enough to be injured on a mission because she rejected him.

Her heart ached for his pain, and she wished she could have been as open as he had. She had nearly confessed her fears to him, but had managed to be resilient in bottling up her emotions. She could still remember the look of surprise on his face when she told him they could never be, and that memory caused the knot to tighten in her stomach. It had taken that foolish moment to realize what she had not realized before: she cared for Minato.

It wasn't the same as what she had felt for Ken. No, it was something much _more—_something deeper. She had weakened under his kiss, and if he showed up at her door and repeated his confession, she wasn't entirely certain she could refrain from telling him everything. Part of her hoped he wouldn't seek her out, the other part of her wished for that release.

It hurt even more to recognize the burden she was placing on herself—the task of becoming the jinchuuriki. Would she be doomed to a life of solitude? Mito seemed to be fully functional, despite having the demon inside of her. Maybe she _could _have a relationship. Maybe...

_No_, Kushina shuddered, _stop giving yourself hope. It'd be too dangerous! Remember what Hiruzen said? _

She sighed, turning the paper over between her fingers as she trudged toward the bathroom. She turned on the water, allowing it to run over her hand as she acclimated to the temperature. Soon, the steaming droplets were sliding over her body as she stood in the shower, her head resting against the wall. No matter what she did, she could only think of two things: Minato and the nine-tails.

She dressed more conservatively out of respect for Mito. She wasn't sure how one was supposed to attire themselves for a meeting with the First's widow. She braided her hair loosely, glancing at herself in the mirror. She noticed the dark circles under her eyes and she sighed in exasperation.

"I look a mess," she murmured as she prepared to leave. She quickly locked her door behind her and made her way to the ramen stand for a quick bite.

"The regular, Kushina-san?" the older, burly man behind the counter asked in his usual, cheerful voice.

"You got it," Kushina offered her trademark grin and a thumbs up. "Thanks!" she chirped as she began to gluttonously eat her morning meal. She hadn't realized how famished she had been until she smelled the bowl of broth. When her appetite was satiated, she patted her stomach in satisfaction and left the tiny restaurant. She must have pushed the door open too quickly or too far, because she heard someone grunt in pain as the door suddenly halted on its path.

"Oh no! I'm so s—" she began, the apology on the tip of her tongue.

"Hey, what's with you, lady?" the young boy grumbled as he rubbed his head.

Kushina recognized the dark goggles on top of his unruly nest of black hair. "Oh. It's you."

Obito pouted slightly as he looked up at her, still rubbing his head and sputtering profanities, "You did that on purpose!"

"Did not, kid," Kushina narrowed her eyes, "I woulda done it harder had I known you were there!"

"Hey!" Obito spat in anger. "Just what is your problem?"

"My problem?" Kushina was startled by the question. "I said I didn't mean to hit you, didn't I?"

"That's _not _what I'm talkin' about!" he replied hurriedly, his eyes darting to his left and right as his cheeks turned red.

"Huh?"

"I mean..." his gaze shifted around once more as he lowered his voice, shielding his mouth with one hand. "With you and my sensei?"

"Your sensei?" Kushina repeated, dumbfounded. "Minato?"

"Yeah, him," Obito rolled his eyes, "You're not too quick on the uptake, here."

"Watch it, brat," Kushina growled as Obito yelped. She was taken off-guard by his question. "You are here waiting for me, aren't you?" The Uchiha looked uncomfortable as he shifted on his feet. "Answer me, dammit!" she hissed.

"F-Fine! Rin was upset, and I wanted to h-help!" he waved his hands in defense, looking oddly flustered for the smart-mouthed ninja she remembered him to be.

"Rin?" Kushina repeated softly, "The girl?"

"Yeah, her," Obito nodded, "She's worried about Minato. Said he seemed distracted or something equally girly. Seems to think it's because of you."

Kushina drew back, her heart rate quickening, "Me?"

"Yeah. You." He stared at her accusingly. "What are you getting at with him?"

She could feel her cheeks growing hot at Obito's words, and she was oddly distraught at the boy's sudden fervency. "That's n-none of your business."

"Look, lady, I don't know you and you don't know me. But, we _both _know Minato-sensei." Obito crossed his arms over his chest, his features softening. "He's not been himself lately, and Rin seems to think it has to do with you. And when Rin feels that strongly about something, she's usually correct."

Kushina's mouth dropped open and she quickly snapped it shut as she tried to think of something to say in response. She couldn't be bested by a kid!

"What's worse is that the Chuunin Exams are coming up, and he's leaving on some mission he can't tell us about or that we can even go on," he whined. "So it must be dangerous!"

"Where are you going with this?" Kushina croaked, kicking herself for such a childish response.

"I'm getting at the fact that he can't be going on missions acting like some lovesick wimp!" Obito's teeth grit angrily as he thrust his forefinger in the air.

"Hey now," Kushina felt her own annoyance build.

"Just shut up for a second!" Obito growled, "If you don't like Minato-sensei, then just _tell him_. Don't string him along." Kushina's eyes grew wide at his words, despite being at a total and utter loss for her own. He took a step forward, his eyes narrowed, "But if you do like him, then tell him_ that_, too! There's no use torturing the poor guy! He's a good guy and would do anything for _anyone, _ya hear? It's obvious to all three of us—Kakashi included, and he doesn't give a shit about anything—that Minato cares about you. Maybe even loves you, as Rin says." He waved his hand dismissively, "But I don't know about that crap. All I know is that you are being really unfair to him and it's cruel and unusual punishment."

"Huh?" Kushina gaped, utterly shocked and speechless. _Loves me? _She could feel her ears burning at his berating. She was being chastised by a pre-pubescent boy and she had no witty retort.

Obito growled, his head lowering as his cheeks burned. "I just don't like seein' Rin upset. You can take what I said or leave it, I don't give a damn. But, don't drag our sensei into this!"

Before Kushina could respond, Obito turned on heel and ran off. She was left to stare after him, his words resounding in her head. He was only a boy, but he had somehow managed to affect her like no one had, thus far. And for what? For the girl on his team, no less.

Kushina stood in the streets of Konoha, her eyes following his retreat. For the third time in a day's period, she was at a loss for words.

* * *

She balled her hands into fists, angry at herself for allowing Obito to so easily berate her. Her shock had faded some time ago, now replaced by the annoyance she felt in the pit of her stomach. As she kept replaying his words in her head, she grew more irate. She had a sudden desire to find the Uchiha and rip the genin apart, bit by bit. Soon, that fury was replaced with another emotion. This time, it was regret. Obito was right, she owed Minato more than what she had given him at Arashi's wedding. She wasn't sure what she was going to tell him—what excuse she would give him—but he deserved _that_, at least. Maybe she would just tell him the truth about her becoming a jinchuuriki. That way, he could reject _her _on the spot, which would at least save _her_ the difficulty.

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess inside her head as she sought him out. Would he hate her? What would he think when he realized what she was to become on her own accord? Part of her hoped that he wouldn't think any less of her, and that they could...

_No. _

They couldn't. He would be Hokage and she would be jinchuuriki.

_But Mito had done it. _

_On a whim_, she reminded herself. _After she was married. _A husband wouldn't leave his wife because of that, surely?

She turned the corner in front of Minato's apartment, her mind still swirling with her unspoken argument. When she reached the steps, she jumped back with a yelp at the realization that a young girl was sitting there, three stairs from the bottom. Her knees were drawn to her chest as she rested her forehead on them. Her head shot up at Kushina's strained cry. The red head could see the purple marks on her face—the only colorful thing adorning her plain features. Chocolate eyes met blue ones as the two kunoichi studied one another in anticipation of the other's comment.

Kushina tensed, _Why is she here? _

Rin quickly rose to her feet, smoothing the white cloth around her waist. "Kushina-sama," she murmured softly as she offered a smile to the woman.

"Rin?" Kushina could barely recall the girl's name. She was relieved when the girl nodded. Kushina's eyes darted up the stairs, to the door at the top.

"He's...gone..." Rin whispered. Kushina inwardly cringed, was she that easy to read? And did Minato tell these kids _everything_?

"Huh?" She decided to play dumb.

"He left this morning, very early," the brown-haired girl tugged at the pouch around her waist. "I had come by to ask him about the training schedule he created for us, but he had already left on his mission."

"I see," Kushina felt her stomach sink at that knowledge. Had he fled the village because of her? Was Mito correct in her assumptions? "That's too bad. I had a question, too," she shrugged half-heartedly. "Well, thanks for lettin' me know," Kushina smiled, hoping to hide her disappointment as she turned to walk away, her hands shoved into her pockets.

"I told him you weren't a lost cause," Rin interrupted Kushina's escape, causing the red-head to freeze where she stood.

Kushina turned her head slightly, her brow knitted in confusion, "Eh?" She slowly turned to face the girl.

Rin's cheeks flushed as she timidly looked at the kunoichi, "You don't seem like someone who would purposely hurt Sensei." Her gaze remained steady on Kushina's face. It as if she were garnering some hidden courage while reading the red-head's reaction, "I can tell that from watching you. You care about him, as he does you."

Kushina's eyes widened slightly, "What is going on with your whole damned team? Am I getting some psych evaluation by you guys? Why are you so involved in playing matchmaker?"

"No," Rin shook her head, "I just...observe. I know Minato-sensei cares about you, Kushina-san. I can see it in how he looks at you. But...you hurt him. Not purposely, of course. But, I don't think you know how much he truly admires you."

Kushina balled her fists as she fought the overwhelming sensation to cry. It was all too much for her to deal with, and she was barely holding it together as it was. She grit her teeth in frustration, "He doesn't know what I'm to become."

Rin watched her carefully, angling her head to the side, "And he wouldn't...unless you tell him. I'm sure he would understand, Kushina-san. Whatever it is." She suddenly bit her lip and looked away, "I'm sorry to speak so candidly to you about this. But, I had told myself that if you came here, then..." She trailed off, her voice lost in the faint breeze.

"Then, what?" Kushina sighed in annoyance. She was a volatile combination of frustration, desperation, and regret. It didn't help that it was being compounded by Minato's team of genin who were feeling the need to voice their opinions of Kushina's treatment of their sensei.

"Then you truly do care."

They stared at one another for some time, cheeks red on both sides. Kushina had felt like she'd been hit with a ton of bricks. Her mouth opened and closed, each time at a loss for words. She was quickly approaching a new record for the number of times the normally-talkative kunoichi could be made speechless.

Rin apologetically lowered her head as she wrung her hands. "I'm sorry, it is none of my business! I would like to keep this conversation...between us."

"Yeah, it's not your business, and your boyfriend already gave me a piece of his mind for upsetting _you_," Kushina informed her in a growl of frustration.

Rin's eyes widened as her head shot up, "Kakashi?"

Kushina raised an eyebrow in surprise. It seemed as if there was a love triangle in Minato's genin team. "No...Goggles."

"Obito-san," Rin murmured after a moment of surprised silence. The disappointment was evident in her voice. "He...worries about me...so much."

"Seems so," Kushina grumbled, softly. "Though it looks like your heart lies elsewhere."

Rin's cheeks grew pinker as she avoided Kushina's accusing look. The red-head suddenly felt sorry for being facetious. She sighed, "Look, kid, er, Rin, whatever is going on between me and Minato is not any of your concern. We are adults, you three are not. I'm sure Minato won't appreciate the interference."

Rin's shoulders slumped in defeat as she registered the truth in Kushina's words.

"But," Kushina added, "I think it's kinda cute how devoted his team is to one another—aside from the silver-haired kid you have a crush on. It says a lot for how you view your sensei, you know. I'd be kinda proud to have a bunch of kids that care that much for me."

Rin glanced up, smiling sadly.

"Don't be such a downer. Your sensei will be fine. He's a resilient kinda guy. I have...er, other things that are more important now. I'm not sure why I'm sharing this with you, but I don't know what to think about all of this. I have a lot going on and it's not easy for me to sort through it all. I know Minato thinks of me as more than a friend, but how I feel is not something I'm gonna discuss with you or the goggled kid, ok?"

Rin nodded.

"Good. Now don't go tellin' him that I came by here, and I won't tell your teammate you have a crush on him. Deal?"

Rin's eyes grew wide as she gasped. Kushina smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Did Minato not tell you I could be ruthless, too?" Rin's face was crimson as Kushina laughed. "I'm just kiddin' with ya! Now, if you don't mind, I am going to continue to where I was headed. Go train for those exams."

Rin nodded again as she shoved her hands in the pockets of her white apron. Her face was set in determination, "You are right, we do need to train if we are going to pass. We don't want to let Sensei down!"

Kushina smiled. Rin reminded her of herself when she was preparing for the genin exams. It was tough being part of a three person team as the only female. "You're the medic, right?"

"Yes!" Rin offered a smile. Kushina found her to be quite cute when her face lit up.

"Well, if any of you need help training while Minato is gone, just let me know. I know of a very proficient medic who could help you—"

Rin's eyes grew wide, "You'd do that for me? For us?"

Kushina shrugged. "Well, you can't fail, can you?"

"N-No!" Rin shook her head.

"Good, now get the hell out there and train. I'll be around if you need me. I'm sure, with being around Minato enough, you'll know where to find me."

"Right," Rin agreed before she darted past Kushina, her shoes lightly tapping the ground. Kushina watched the girl run, her shoulders held a little higher.

She sighed. "Rin?" Kushina called out. The brown-haired genin slid to a halt, her hair whipping around with the movement of her head. She glanced at Kushina expectantly. "Thanks for looking out for him."

She could hear the girl's sharp intake of breath as Kushina quickly leaped onto the rooftops, deciding not to wait for a response. Her feet padded over the slick tiles as she headed toward Mito's dwellings. Something that young girl said had affected Kushina. Maybe when all was over and done with, she would speak to Minato. To tell him the truth.

Maybe he wouldn't be as disgusted as she had anticipated.

Maybe Rin was right: perhaps she wasn't a lost cause.


	32. Exchanging Lives

**My apologies for the delay! I'm on a month of surgery, so you can imagine the hours. But, I hope that this chapter does not disappoint too much. We are almost there. Truuuust me! ****Thanks to everyone from their constant kindness. You are all amazingly awesome! For the record, my spell check wants to replace Hokage with Hoecheck. I don't get it.**

**Please RxR. Keep me motivated! Also, for something to keep you occupied, _Tosakuai _has some lovely NaruSaku fics as well as, currently, a ShikaTema fic. Go read it! Maybe my next chapter will be up when you're done...**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"You do seem to have a knack for fuinjutsu, Kushina," Mito murmured as she sipped her tea, pale eyes looking over her handwritten scrolls spread out in front of them.

"That'd be the first time someone told me I was a natural at _anything_!" Kushina grinned, nervously scratching the back of her head. "Well, unless you count being a klutz."

Mito's eyes flickered over the red-head's face, a smile curling on her thin lips, "I mean it..." A crooked finger jut out to a nearby scroll, the odd markings more familiar to Kushina after her lessons from the elderly Uzumaki during the past few weeks. "This is no easy jutsu to master. It took you a mere," she raised an eyebrow, "Two days? I'm impressed."

"Thank you," Kushina murmured, bowing her head.

She had come to enjoy her daily meetings with Mito, and she was positive that the former Lady Hokage garnered some satisfaction from their time together, as well. She had been a wonderful source of information regarding Kushina's family, though Mito did not know Kushina's parents—much to the latter's disappointment. Regardless, the kunoichi had gained some sense of confidence in becoming the future jinchuuriki. She had even began to accept her fate...

"Thank you...for everything, Mito. Seriously," Kushina breathed, glancing around at the pictures hanging on the bright walls of the expansive apartment. She had to admit, being the Shodai's widow had its perks.

"My pleasure. You have been quite a...presence here, my dear," Mito tactfully replied, her eyes on the hole in the far wall. It had been nearly two weeks since that incident.

Kushina's cheeks reddened, "It's been fun. I hadn't imagined it would be."

"It surprises you that I could possibly be delightful company?" Mito feigned offense, "I _am _an Uzumaki, may I remind you!"

Kushina laughed, soon followed by the dry, hoarse laughter of the elderly Uzumaki. Their mirth was interrupted by a soft rapping at the door. Mito attempted to stand, wincing at the movement.

"I'll get it. Sit!" Kushina commanded, nimbly leaping to her feet.

Mito nodded, saying nothing as she watched the kunoichi open the door. Her shadow was cast across the kitchen as the noon sunlight spilled into the apartment. The older woman could sense the change in Kushina's posture as well as the inflection of her voice—both indications of her recognition of Mito's guest.

"For Gods' sake, child, let the Hokage in!" Mito called out, angling her head.

Kushina grumbled something incoherent, moving aside as Hiruzen glided past her. He smiled when he saw the Shodai's widow, nodding imperceptibly. "Mito."

"Hmmph," Mito replied after a fond smile,"Tea?"

"Don't mind if I do," Hiruzen replied as she achingly poured the tea without waiting for his assent.

Kushina watched with intrigue, her comment directed at the kage. "I didn't know you'd be coming..."

"Eh," Hiruzen waved his hand, "Just felt like dropping in. Had some business to discuss with Mito."

"Oh," Kushina replied, momentarily surprised. She glanced at the clock, her eyes growing round, "Oh shit!"

"Language!" Mito tsked in exasperation.

"Sorry!" Kushina covered her mouth, her shoulders hunching in realization. "I forgot I have to check in on that bunch of hooligans."

"You wouldn't mean Minato's team, would you?" Hiruzen's voice rose with interest as his gaze remained on his cup of steaming hot liquid.

Kushina narrowed her eyes, "Yeah, what about it?" She could feel her ears reddening.

"He didn't seem to think they were going to make it past the first part of the Chuunin Exams," Hiruzen told her over his shoulder, speaking about Minato. "Said they weren't ready."

Silence lingered for a few moments before Kushina muttered a couple profanities under her breath, "Well, then, I gotta go and whip them into shape. They can't just fail because Minato isn't here to guide them. What kind of shinobi would I be to let those babies fail without giving them some hope?"

"Eh, have it you way," Hiruzen mumbled between sips. He said something softly to Mito, who nodded.

Kushina glanced at the elderly woman, ignoring the relayed message and smugness of Hiruzen's vocie. "Same time tomorrow? I'll bring ramen—you have to try the salt ramen from the place down the road!"

Mito smiled, "I'd like that."

"Good," her blue eyes flickered to Hiruzen, "Don't let him talk your ear off. He's getting loopy in his old age!" Kushina used her forefinger to trace circles in the air around her temple. Mito pursed her lips in distaste. "Bye!" Kushina called out as she skipped out the door, whistling as she did so.

"Tch," Mito lifted her cup, "Such an unruly child."

"You think she's unsuitable to become the host?" Hiruzen raised an eyebrow as he reached for a scone, his voice filled with fatherly hope.

"I think," Mito carefully replied, "she's a much better option than I ever was."

Hiruzen chuckled, nodding softly, "I thought as much."

Mito stared at the door, her pale eyes filled with sadness, "Did you tell her?"

"Huh?" Hiruzen chewed thoughtfully, "About your illness? Yes." He angled his head slightly as his host did not respond. "You mean about the, er, process? We aren't sure of that outcome are we?"

The Shodai's widow glanced at her hands, the skin now wrinkly and bony with age. She had spent more time with Kushina than she had initially planned, surpassing the time line she had given the Hokage. Her pain had increased and was nearly intolerable, but it was a small price to pay for the momentary happiness Kushina had showed her. The older Uzumaki inhaled deeply, her eyes closing.

"Hiruzen, we are never sure of any outcome. We can only hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst."

* * *

"Hey, midgets!" Kushina held up her packages, "I brought lunch!"

"Huh?" Obito blinked, staring at her through his goggles, his mouth slightly agape, "What're you doing here?"

"She's here to help us," Rin replied firmly. "So act more grateful."

"She brought food," Kakashi eyed the newcomer carefully, "Why do I feel like this is a bribe?"

"Shut up!" Kushina hissed, "You'll never get into shape for these exams if you don't enjoy some basic shinobi cuisine."

She tossed the tiny containers to the genin before she opened her own, much larger, container. She hungrily gulped down the noodles and broth, reaching for a second box as the young shinobi watched her with a mixture of awe, amusement, and disgust.

"What does Sensei see in her?" Obito whispered to Kakashi, who shrugged. Rin shot him an annoyed glance. She took a tentative step forward, followed by another. She nimbly sat in the grass, delicately opening her own box. She cringed at Kushina's slurping as she slowly raised her own chopsticks to her mouth. She heard her teammates follow her example.

"So, you three wanna become Chuunin, huh?" Kushina suddenly asked, a noodle flinging from her mouth as she pointed her sticks at them.

"Is that really a necessary question?" Kakashi retorted, carefully peeking into his lunch container.

"I'm not liking you right now," Kushina warned him, her blue eyes flashing as she shoveled noodles into her mouth.

"It's mutual," he muttered under his breath.

"So why are you helping us?" Obito watched her with rapt interest. He couldn't figure out how she fit so much ramen into such a tiny frame. And so quickly, too.

"Eh," she waved her chopsticks, "My training was interrupted by other things. An...accident." Her gaze lingered on Kakashi for a few moments, though she did not elaborate. Blue eyes flickered over the other two teammates. "So Minato trained us for a few days."

"Sensei trained you? _You_?" Obito repeated, his brow crinkling with disbelief. _How is that possible? _

"Yeah, so?" Kushina chewed thoughtfully, remembering how she had managed to surprise the blonde-haired jonin with her clones.

"Um...so you are that much younger than him?" Obito attempted the math, quickly giving up, "How old are you anyway?"

Kushina opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Kakashi, "Obito, Sensei training her is not so much about age. Quit asking inappropriate questions."

Kushina pointed her sticks toward Kakashi, her eyes on Obito. "What he said." She turned toward the silver-haired genin, "Maybe you're not so bad after all, kid."

Kakashi's eyes remained on Obito as he continued on his train of thought, "It's obviously about his skills being exceedingly superior to hers that he was so far advanced." Without meeting her icy stare, he began shoving the free lunch into his mouth and chewing with satisfaction.

Obito's train of thought was much slower than his teammate's, and Kushina could see the wheels turning before he started to snicker in understanding. Rin's face paled as she stared at her food, stabbing it nervously. Kakashi shrugged, finding his ramen to be a welcome break. He was surprised at how much he actually liked the lunch Kushina had brought him. He raised the noodles to his mouth, the move hindered as a set of chopsticks closed around his. His eyes widened in surprise as a pair of dark blue eyes appeared before him. He could hear Rin mutter "oh no" from beside him.

"I take it back," Kushina hissed between her teeth, the muscle under her eye twitching in agitation. Her face was a mere inch from his. "You want to run your mouth, you are officially on my shitlist. Now, drop your sticks." Kakashi's fingers automatically released their grip.

"Good," Kushina stood, her hands set on her hips as she glared at him. "You wanna underestimate me? Fine. _That's_ how you lose the competition. I tried being nice, but it seems it's wasted on you two," she glanced at Obito then back to Kakashi. "Rin, you can thank your teammates for their smart mouths. All three of you better be prepared to get the most grueling training of your lives."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Kushina asked, stifling a yawn.

Mito grunted, lifting the hem of her robes as she made a gesture of respect. She stepped away from the monumental stone, giving it one last look before turning away. She glanced upward, her eyes falling on the large Hokage Monument. Her lips set in a firm line and her eyes softened. Kushina looked between the former First Lady and the monument, wondering what the elderly woman was thinking. She could see the fondness etched in the deep crevices of Mito's face as she stared at the stone tribute of her dead husband.

"He was pretty good lookin' wasn't he?" Kushina whispered jokingly. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable with their unexpected visit. Well, at least Kushina hadn't expected it!

Mito raised an eyebrow, "That's putting it lightly, my dear."

Kushina snorted, covering her smirk with her hand as Mito smiled wistfully at the mountain. Seconds turned to minutes, and Kushina watched as tears silently filled Mito's pale gray eyes. The elder Uzumaki said nothing, and, after a few more minutes, quietly collected herself.

"Let's go, child," the woman murmured as she gripped her walking stick.

Kushina glanced up at the Hokage Monument, taking in the three faces. "That second one, there, that's his brother, right?"

"That is correct," Mito answered, though her eyes remained on the ground. "He died not soon after Hashi...leaving poor Hiruzen to take up the duties of Hokage. Shame, too. So young and a new father."

"Yeah," Kushina nodded.

"They were both good looking," Mito muttered, as Kushina stared at her. The woman stopped after several steps, turning to wave Kushina on. "I _said_ let's go! I can appreciate a good looking man, can't I? I'm not dead, girl!"

Kushina said nothing, quickly falling into step beside the older woman. They walked in silence for some time, and Kushina thought back on the month they had spent getting to know one another. She had found she looked forward to the older woman's presence, finding her akin to a snippy grandmother. After some time, Kushina looked around, confused by her surroundings. She hadn't paid much attention to where they were walking, only following Mito's lead.

"Where are we?" she wondered aloud.

"Almost there," Mito told her, her eyes focused ahead.

"I've never been here before," the red-head replied cautiously. Her words were never acknowledged as the two women slowly approached a large bluff. Kushina had considered it a dead end until Mito made a flurry of hand seals, resting her right palm on the stone wall. Soon, the outline of a door appeared, and Kushina stared in wide-eyed shock at what had just happened.

"Well?" Mito tsked, "Aren't you going to be polite and open the door for me?"

"Y-Yes!" Kushina squeaked in confusion. She felt an odd prickling on the back of her neck, but she brushed the sensation away. "But where...are we?"

"Top secret information, child," Mito replied as she plunged into the darkness. "Close it behind you, will you?"

Kushina did as she was told, following Mito down a long corridor lit by the flickering flames of torches dotting the walls. They sputtered as the women passed them, eventually coming to a larger room. Kushina could see two tables in the middle, the dim lighting hiding the room's periphery.

"What...is this place?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly as she looked above them. It appeared as if the space was hollowed out of the mountain. She could see bats fidgeting on the ceiling above, and she felt her skin crawl.

"It's one of the many hidden places we have in Konohagakure, Kushina," came the familiar voice of the the Hokage.

Kushina nearly jumped as she saw him walk from the shadows, his red robe rustling behind him. He grasped Mito's' hands in his as the two exchanged greetings.

"Gramps? What are you doing here?" she asked, noticing him cringe at her informal address. Her voice had grown more high pitched with each question as she began to recognize the feelings of foreboding that were clawing at her.

"My child, my blood," Mito interrupted Kushina's thoughts, her voice soft and her eyes bright, "I'm sorry to do this so...so unexpectedly, but I didn't think there was any other way. I couldn't risk anyone finding out."

"About what?" Kushina's eyes flickered back to the elderly Uzumaki. She couldn't quite describe the unease she felt at Hiruzen's' presence.

"About what is going to occur here shortly," the gray haired woman replied firmly, her chin held high.

For the second time, blue eyes flickered to Mito's face. Confusion knitted in Kushina's brow as she silently mouthed the words. "I-I don't understand, you didn't tell me that we were doing anything today other than the visit to the monument." Panic was edging into Kushina's voice as the sour taste of betrayal stung her throat.

Mito walked forward and patted her hand, "It's OK, my dear. I had asked for you to not be informed." Kushina raised her eyebrows in confusion, prompting Mito to continue, "I'm sorry, child." Her voice was a low whisper as her eyes watered with regret, "But today is the day you become the new jinchuuriki."

* * *

Kushina wasn't sure how long she had been laughing, but her stomach hurt from the effort. She wiped the tears away, doubling over from a new fit of hysterics. Hiruzen and Mito wordlessly allowed her to continue her childish antics, casting knowing glances at one another. Kushina sucked air between her lips, afraid that the hesitation would force her back to the cruel reality awaiting her. She had known this day would come, but she always thought she would have been more _aware_ of it. She would have more control.

Right now, she had no control. None over herself, nor over the situation surrounding her. So, she did what any rational person would do: crumble under the pressure.

Soon, she was unsure of if the tears running down her cheeks were truly of mirth or of sadness. Either way, she gasped for each breath, fleeting thoughts racing through her head as she avoided what was going on right _then_.

"Enough already!" Mito finally lashed out, her temper flaring. "Snap out of it!"

Kushina's laughter stopped abruptly as the familiar wave of power washed over her. Her eyes grew wide as she realized how childish she was behaving, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She could hear shuffling behind Hiruzen, and she instantly knew there were others watching from the darkness.

They were not alone.

"Who else is here?" Kushina quickly snapped upright, her eyes searching the darkness behind the Hokage.

"Ah, yes," Hiruzen's smile was strained, the dark tattooed lines from his eyes disappearing in the wrinkles he had obtained since Biwako's death. Despite the dim lighting, she could see that his hair was flecked with more gray than she could remember. She could hear the torches hissing as the kage raised his hand, subtly flicking his wrist. In a soft rustle of fabric, a half dozen or so hooded figures stepped forward. Plain white porcelain masks covered their faces as the dark robes concealed the rest of their features. Kushina looked over each one, wondering if she knew the faces beneath.

She assumed that at least two of them were Hiruzen's former teammates, Koharu and Homura—now part of Konoha's Council. She couldn't identify the others, or even begin to guess at their identities. Her eyes scrutinized the remaining hooded figures, her gaze remaining on the last one to her right. She noticed the splinted arm, and she thought of Hiruzen's disabled childhood rival.

"Are you sure everyone is able to help with the transition?" Kushina asked, noticing the masked person pulling their arm tighter against their body.

"Everyone I have chosen is more than capable," Hiruzen responded carefully, his eyes following Kushina's gaze.

"Hmmph," the red-head responded, turning toward Mito. "Why does the old man need this much back up? Is it that dangerous?"

Mito smiled, understanding the fear in Kushina's eyes. "You can never have too much help, my dear. Things will go as planned, but just in case..."

"You never know," Hiruzen chuckled, plucking his beard.

"This is not funny, you know!" Kushina's temper flared as she waved her arm around, "I didn't have a say in this!" Her breathing became deeper as her chest heaved from the effort. She clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her composure. She turned toward the masked spectators, "Your faces. I want to see them."

"That is unnecessary," Hiruzen informed her, his voice filled with finality.

"Why? If I'm going to be a vessel so they can keep their _weapon_," she pointed at them, "then I have a the right to see who will know about _me_, don't I?"

Hiruzen's mouth drew into a straight line as he looked to Mito for help. The former First Lady tsked softly, "You can be assured that they are here to protect you. It's for your own good."

"But they can know all about me?" Kushina grit her teeth, nearly hissing her question.

"They have sworn their lives," Hiruzen interrupted.

"And I'm giving mine for them."

She heard someone step forward, her head turning slightly to see the brave contestant. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hiruzen raise his hand, angling his head slightly. In a swift shake of his head, the hooded figure stepped backward. Kushina lowered her head in defeat. She would not argue the wishes of a former Hokage's wife, much less the current Hokage. She was acting foolish, she knew. Like a child. She had promised to do this, and she would complete the task.

"I have always been adamant about keeping my word," Kushina softly murmured, "And I promised you both that I would become the jinchuuriki." She raised her head to look at Hiruzen, "You have always been good to me. This village has become my home. I will not go back on what I said, no matter how angry I am."

Hiruzen said nothing, his face betraying his composure as she saw the moisture in the corners of his eyes. Mito cleared her throat, but Kushina continued, "And I always keep my word. No matter what, it's my—"

"Your ninja way, is it?" Mito cut in. Kushina's head snapped around so that she could meet Mito's gaze. She silently nodded her affirmation. The corners of Mito's withered mouth twitched upward in a smile, her lower lip trembling. "I couldn't have chosen a finer kunoichi. You are truly an Uzumaki."

Kushina's eyes flickered over the two makeshift tables behind Hiruzen. "Is...is that where this is gonna...happen?" she whispered, her voice raspy. She cringed as she was unable to hide her barely contained fear.

Hiruzen spun around, but Mito answered, "Yes. It'll be, er, easier that way, child. Nothing to it!"

"Easy for you to say," Kushina bitterly replied as Mito hobbled toward the table on the right. She waved for Kushina to follow, the latter obeying. "You took all this on yourself."

"It's much easier when you have youth on your side, trust me," Mito retorted, stiffly seating herself on the edge of the table, wincing at the movement as she neatly set her cane against the structure.

Kushina stood in front of her, glancing between Hiruzen, Mito, and the figures behind him. None had moved, their masked faces staring straight ahead.

"Well?" Mito snapped wearily, "What're you waiting for, Hiruzen? Let's get this over with, already. I'm quite tired of having this thing inside of me! All it does is complain incessantly!" The wrinkles in her face deepened as she chuckled to herself.

"As you wish, Mito-sama," Hiruzen bowed his head. The hooded figures quickly assembled at the heads of the tables, a few feet away—closer to the encroaching darkness. Kushina watched, too numb to move.

"Not you too!" Mito glared up at her, puffing out her thin cheeks. "This is going to be much easier on you!"

"Me?" Kushina softly echoed. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Mito for a few moments. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, she dropped to her knees, her arms draped around Mito's thin waist as she rested her head on the elderly Uzumaki's lap. She stifled a sob that had too easily formed. "I'm sorry!" her voice was muffled as her shoulders suddenly shook.

She felt the gentle hand on her head, the fingers softly stroking her hair as Mito cooed soothingly. "My dear dear child, there is nothing to fear."

"B-But...I'm so scared!" Kushina whimpered into the soft fabric of Mito's robe. She could feel the bony thighs against her cheeks, and she vaguely remembered the conversation with Hiruzen, months ago, regarding Mito's health.

"You are allowed to be scared, yes," Mito murmured. "But let me give you the only piece of advice you will ever need." Her icy gray eyes met Hiruzen's dark ones before slowly drifting around the room, boring into each and every mask surrounding them. "The only thing you need to do is to fill that vessel with love, Kushina."

"Love?" Kushina drew back, her face streaked with silent tears. Her eyes searched Mito's face.

The old woman nodded, her smile genuine. "Yes, dear. The only way to overcome the kyuubi's hatred is to fill yourself with love. Surround yourself with it."

"But, childbirth—" Kushina argued.

"Bah! Nonsense!" Mito glared at Hiruzen, "What are you spouting to this poor girl?" Her eyes softened as she met Kushina's confused stare, "You do what you please. Do it for love. You are surrounded by it, I can feel it. You will suffer no hardships. May your life be more blessed than mine."

Mito's eyes watered as she saw the hope that shone in Kushina's eyes. It reminded her of Hashirama's face on their wedding day. She patted the girl's head, her hand pulling Kushina's chin upward. "You get it? My final lesson!"

Suddenly, the happiness that had shone in Kushina's eyes was replaced with concern, "But what will happen to you? You'll be alright, won't you?"

Mito's smile did not waver. "I'm an Uzumaki, aren't I?" Kushina nodded, a small smile fighting to escape. "We are resilient women! I'll be right here when this is all over with."

"OK," Kushina grinned, her face lighting up as she wiped the drying tears away.

Mito pointed at the adjacent table. "Now sit and listen. Do as you're told!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kushina saluted the older woman playfully, sitting and facing the older Uzumaki.

"Er, direct skin contact is easiest, is it not, Mito?" Hiruzen cleared his throat.

"Oh, yes," Mito smiled, standing. She waved to Kushina to do the same, "I think they brought us something comfortable to change into. I warned them that if it wasn't cotton, then they'd face my wrath."

Kushina laughed somewhat nervously, her stomach settling for the first time since they arrived. They quickly changed into the soft robes before returning to their positions on the adjacent tables. They both laid back, as instructed, waiting for the process to begin. Kushina turned her head to look at Mito. The elderly woman was staring at the ceiling, biting her her lower lip.

"Mito?" Kushina whispered. The older woman did not immediately hear her, and Kushina repeated her name.

"Hmm?" the woman grunted, glancing at Kushina from the side of her eye.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"Hell if I know," Mito shook her head in emphasis. "It didn't to seal it."

"You'll be here? The entire time."

"The entire time," she softly confirmed. "Until the very end," she whispered to herself, the comment unheard by Kushina.

"Good," Kushina replied as she heard the shuffling of feet around the room. She glanced at Hiruzen next to her as the kage exposed her abdomen as another masked figured did the same to Mito. Her former fears were gone, and she could only attribute it to Mito's presence at her side. She sighed, fighting her racing heart as she recalled the older woman's earlier words.

_Fill that vessel with love_.

"Old man?" Kushina called out, closing her eyes.

"Yes?" he replied hesitantly.

"Get a move on, will ya?" she smiled. "I got places to be, and Mito owes me ramen after this."

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open.

She felt like she had been struck by lighting, though she wasn't physically in pain. Her body tingled from something she couldn't quite place her finger on. She groaned as her eyes adjusted to the dim surroundings and the fogginess in her mind lifted. She felt a chill run along her body, and she could hear the soft murmurs from her right. She reached down to pull the covers over herself, only to realize there were none. Her hand rested on her exposed abdomen as she lifted her head. She could see the black seal emblazoned on her stomach, and she quickly regained her bearings.

"Oh shit," she grumbled, "Is that gonna be there for the rest of my life?"

"Please take it easy, Kushina," Hiruzen warned her, immediately at her side.

"Sure," Kushina licked her lips, her head returning to the thin pillow. She didn't feel much of a difference, only an odd sense of imbalance. "Am I supposed to hear anything? Does it talk to me?" she asked aloud, awaiting Mito's response.

"I...the nine-tails is now sealed in you," Hiruzen answered her carefully, "Unless you are have learned to tap into its chakra, there shouldn't be communication between host and demon."

"I wasn't asking you," she replied weakly, her head turning toward Mito, "I was asking h—" Her eyes grew wide as she saw the figures around Mito, one slowly drawing a sheet up over Mito's face. "What the hell are you doing?" Kushina quickly sat up, not caring about her indecent coverage. "What's going on?"

She felt Hiruzen's hand on her shoulder, his voice filled with comforting intent, "My child...the process..."

"Huh?" Kushina's eyes flickered to his face as she attempted to stand. She waved her hand toward Mito, "Get that damned sheet away from her face. She's not dead!"

"Kushina!" Hiruzen's voice was filled with authority. This time, Kushina's gaze was focused on his face. His features softened, "I'm sorry." He shook his head sadly.

"What?" she looked between Hokage and former jinchuuriki. The realization slowly sank in. "No! She promised! She can't be..."

Her voice rose in panic with each protest, but Hiruzen's hand kept her still, "Be calm. The switch is still fresh, you aren't able to control it!"

"Dammit, stop talking to me like a child, you old bat!" she hissed, the anger rising. She didn't know where it was coming from, but she almost welcomed it.

"That's the demon speaking, my Lord," someone murmured to her right. A woman's voice.

"Screw you!" Kushina spat. "Mito! Dammit, Mito, wake up!" The hot tears of denial spilled down Kushina's cheeks as she began to hiccup. Mito's face was calm, a smile etched into her features as she peacefully rested, her hands on her stomach.

"No, no, no, no," Kushina cried out as the sheet was drawn, Mito's face disappearing from her sight. "She promised!"

Hiruzen knelt in front of her, his eyes level with Kushina's. "Look at me, Kushina!" The red-head did as she was told. "Mito was ill. There was no happy outcome for her. This was _her _wish. It was also her wish to spare you the pain of knowing that this process would kill her beforehand."

"But...w-why?" Kushina's eyes flickered to the lifeless form beneath the sheet as her anger began to subside.

"There are very few ways in which a shinobi can control their death. Mito was given the luxury to do so, and she died knowing that she was in charge of her fate. It was her will, and I could not deny her that—as the wife of my sensei. But, know that her will lives on with you. You had given her much more in these past few weeks than she had in the past few years. And, for that, she was grateful. Do you understand?"

Kushina nodded, somewhat numb from the realization that Mito had sacrificed herself. Her eyes were steady on the still form of the former First Lady, willing the elderly Uzumaki to prove them all wrong. Hot tears slowly spilled down her cheeks as she stared at the sheet. Did all jinchuurikis die when the demon is extracted from them?

"Now," Hiruzen stood, his former concern wiped from his face. "I'm sorry for this, Kushina, but the first twenty four hours are the most difficult for any vessel."

"Huh?" Kushina looked up at him, tears streaking her face. She barely registered the prick in her forearm as she unwillingly succumbed to darkness.


	33. Awakening Revelation

Kushina was groggy. _Very _groggy. As if she had taken a very long nap.

She cursed a few times under her breath as her surroundings slowly faded in and out of focus. She thought she had dozed off again at some point, but she couldn't be sure. It was all a haze, and she didn't care. When she could finally keep her eyes open—and the last bit of drowsiness had lifted its veil—she immediately recognized her surroundings. The emotions invested in that revelation quickly came crashing down upon her. Her heart was heavy as she silently mourned Mito's passing. She stifled a whimper as she heard the slight rustle of fabric nearby. Her suspicion regarding her unwanted companion was supported by the familiarity of the chakra.

"How long..." she licked her parched lips as her voice came out a raspy croak, "How long have I been here?"

"About three days, my child," came the Sandaime's voice. She heard him softly take a seat beside her, his robe brushing against her arm. "I was wondering when you would awaken."

"Hmmph," she mumbled as her fingers rubbed her temples. The stiff pillow was not helping the encroaching headache. "What the hell did you give me?" she growled, bending her neck as she tried to pull the fabric from her abdomen.

"A tranquilizer. I knew that you would be...overwhelmed, and I thought it necessary to give your body time to adjust." He didn't elaborate. She didn't need him to. He continued, his voice soft and deliberate, "The first day is always the toughest. No matter the circumstance."

"And so you thought it best to knock me out for _three_?" she shot him a look of annoyance. Part of her was thankful for those two extra days she didn't have to face her fate. She clawed the fabric away from the smooth, pale skin of her stomach. Her fingers slid over the imprinted seal. She could see the gentle curving lines in the middle that gave way to the haphazard branches of the seal. Two Four Symbols Seal.

"Good," she murmured, "There's no gap."

"You approve?" Hiruzen's eyebrow raised in slight amusement as he watched her final assessment. He couldn't deny that he was proud of her affinity for her clan's fuinjutsu, especially because he was not gifted with such techniques. He had relied on Mito to teach him the necessary points as well as a few gifted shinobi to help him along the way. Even as Hokage, there were things he was not proficient with.

"It's not too bad," Kushina grunted, her head falling back on the lumpy pillow as she drew the robe tightly over her body. She shivered as she closed her eyes. She was truly a jinchuuriki, now. "Looks like a sun. I can live with that. Not too much of a mutant, eh?"

"No, not a mutant," he agreed, chuckling as he stroked his beard.

"Guess a bikini is out of the question?" The corners of her mouth twitched.

"Heh," he shrugged, finding his expertise on the topic inadequate, "That is up to you."

"Gramps?" she whispered softly, turning to look at him. The move nearly broke his heart, as she looked much like she had when she was a vulnerable child. He raised his eyebrows as he awaited her question. He was already sure he knew what she was going to ask.

"Why..." her voice cracked slightly. That, too, tugged at his heartstrings. "Why didn't she tell me the exchange would..."

The kage nodded his head, knowing all to well that she was blaming herself for Mito's death. "We will never know if she would have survived, given the state of her health. This was the first time for such an, er, event, Kushina. As I told you before, she _chose_ this path for herself. She had cancer, my child, and there was no cure. Her pain was greater than you could ever know, yet somehow you gave her a month she hadn't anticipated. For that, she was willing to spare you the pain of knowing. Do not fault her for that. It was her will."

A tear silently slid from the corner of Kushina's eye and across her temple before disappearing into her hairline. She swallowed, nodding slightly, "OK. Thank you."

Hiruzen patted her hand, helping her to sit upright. He glanced behind her, nodding slightly. Kushina saw the movement, tensing in anticipation. "Who...are they?"

Dark eyes flickered to her face as the Hokage heard her inquiry. He understood her meaning after a moment of confusion. "I am not at liberty to share that with you. Some you know. Some you do not."

"Your old teammates were here, I'm sure," she postulated. He said nothing, though she saw the familiar twitch of his jaw muscle and knew she was correct. The others she couldn't begin to guess, nor would she try. She sighed in resignation, "Fine. Don't tell me. I still think it's unfair."

"Life isn't fair," came the thick male voice from behind her.

She spun around, her eyes wide as they focused on the newcomer. "Perverted Sage?"

"Tch," he replied harshly, "I'd prefer you not address me as such. I'm a revered presence in this land!"

"Were you here, too?"

"I came two days ago. I was late getting the Hokage's request," he glanced at Hiruzen before smiling. "I've been working on these while you were playing the sleeping princess." He waved his hand in the air. Kushina could see the square pieces of paper flapping from between his thick fingers.

She looked to Hiruzen. "What're those?"

"These," Jiraiya continued, holding a square at the level of Kushina's forehead, closing one eye for effect, "Are sealed tags."

Kushina squinted at the seals on the thin pieces of paper, instantly recognizing them. "Chakra suppressing...are they for me?"

"You know it," Jiraiya smiled grimly. "Sorry, kid, but you're a bit of a liability until you really know how to control it. Even with that seal, we need to keep an eye on you for a while longer."

Kushina felt her stomach sink with realization. "Am I...that much of a danger to everyone?" Her voice was flat as she spat the words.

"You're not a _danger_, Kushina," Hiruzen interrupted, flashing a warning look at his former pupil, "But...we've never switched containers before. These are precautions we must take."

The veil of her resignation lifted just a little as relief shone in her deep blue eyes. "This is just for now—in the beginning? I won't always need you two hovering over me?"

"Oh, no," Hiruzen shook his head. "I just asked Jiraiya, here, to make something we could use...just in case." The Hokage leaned closer to her, winking, "We all know how headstrong you are, so we can't be too careful."

"Yeah, thanks," Kushina muttered as she suppressed a smirk, feeling her spirits return.

"Besides," Jiraiya frowned, looking over his handiwork, "These are the beta versions, I'm not even sure they will work..."

"What good _are _you?" Kushina waspishly asked.

"Hey, now!" Jiraiya whined. "I came all this way to help _you_! And _this _is how you make me feel? I'm hurt by your cold welcome, Kushina!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kushina mumbled, glancing around. "Is everyone still hiding around here?"

"It's just us," Hiruzen answered. "After Day One, the danger had passed."

"Danger," Kushina repeated as she touched her abdomen. That word again. She didn't want to be a _danger_. "I don't...I don't feel very different."

"You shouldn't," Hiruzen tapped his chin. "Mito said she never did, other than having the ability to tap into the chakra."

"I can _use _the Nine-Tails' chakra?" Kushina's eyes grew round at the possibilities of her realization.

"Only in dire situations," the kage told her quickly. "It's not advised. Remember, whatever you take from the Nine-Tails, you will have to repay."

Kushina barely heard his warning, her gaze unfocused. "I could be so _strong_!"

"Annnnd, you lost her," Jiraiya chuckled, nudging the Hokage.

"I think I have," Hiruzen remarked. "How long was that? I think you lost that bet."

"Hey, I heard that, you two!" Kushina hissed in annoyance. "Why are you old farts always betting on me?"

Jiraiya shrugged after a bout of laughter. "Because it's amusing. You keep us on our toes."

"Or because you two are as old as dirt with nothing better to do with your time," she muttered under her breath.

"Hey! I resent that statement!" Jiraiya's hand went to his chest as a pained expression crossed his face. "I'm young, thank you very much! I am in my prime—"

"Can it, pervert," Kushina groaned, rolling her eyes. "Being the jinchuuriki hasn't increased my tolerance for your bullshit." She looked to the kage, her impatience written in her features. "How long, er, until I can take missions again."

"I'd request eight weeks, if you'd be willing, but I'll advise four," the Sandaime answered carefully.

Kushina chewed her lower lip, considering his request. "That'd put me out until after Chuunin Exams, then?"

Hiruzen nodded, "True. But I think you can still instruct Minato's team if you'd like."

"Good," Kushina answered, a smile pulling at her lips. "They need all the help they can get, especially since Minato is on a mission. Why would someone go on a mission that close to their team's exams?" She shook her head, mumbling to herself. She was too busy to notice the nearly imperceptive exchange between Hokage and sage.

"So, I'm free to leave this joint?" Kushina looked around, eyeing the cave warily.

She would be fine never setting foot there again. She was surprised by how much indifferent she felt. She had expected to feel as if she were someone else. Someone...new. It was quite a pleasing experience for her, much unlike what she had anticipated. Her mind quickly raced over Mito's parting words as her eyes focused on the empty table beside her. The pain of mourning quickly replaced her relief.

"Is...has she been—" Kushina began.

"I had put it off for you," Hiruzen interrupted. "I knew that you would want to be present. I'll request her body be prepared for burial."

"Thank you," Kushina whispered. "I appreciate it." She looked to the Hokage, her smile filled with fondness. He had always been good to her, considering her feelings, despite the fact that she was not related by blood. "Now," she looked around, her trademark grin on her face as she stood on wobbly legs. "Where can this perverted sage buy a girl some ramen? I have some genin to make into chuunin!"

* * *

It had been a week since Kushina was made the new jinchuuriki, and she had found it easy to carry on as she had before. There was the constant feeling of not knowing if every shinobi she came in contact with knew about her or not. Could they be one of the masked ninja in the cave? Or were they just unfortunate victims of her suspicions?

Kushina had checked on Minato's team often, finding them training in the fields in anticipation of the upcoming exams. Occasionally she would stop in and speak with them, but she would not interfere unless they asked for her help. She was rather disappointed when they never requested her aid, and she wondered if that sense of rejection meant that perhaps she wanted her own team of unruly genin to whip into shape. The exams were a few days away, and she found that she was giddy with excitement to see if her little experiments would pass with flying colors. She knew that Ken's girlfriend—the physician from the hospital whose name always conveniently slipped Kushina's mind—had been helping Rin hone her skills. Turns out, the young genin held a strong promise for Konoha's medical team. Kushina made a mental note to thank Ken for passing the word along to the physician. Her motives were not entirely selfless, she knew, as part of her wanted to prove Minato wrong, that his team _was _ready to move up in the ninja world.

Though she wouldn't admit it, Kushina was always keeping an ear out about Minato's whereabouts. His assignment was unknown and even Tsume couldn't tell her anything regarding the blonde jonin's mission. Their previous interaction still weighed heavily on her mind, though she was unsure of what she would say to him if she were to see him. Why was she suddenly tongue-tied regarding the village's future Hokage?

The heaviness of Mito's final lesson weighed mightily upon her. _Fill that vessel with love_. Did she mean that Kushina should succumb to Minato's confessions? Should she share her secret with him? Would he even want her? Kushina had a sneaking feeling that the wizened Uzumaki had known about the whisperings in Konoha—and Hiruzen probably had something to do with that. She couldn't deny that she felt somewhat relieved that finding love was blessed by the former First Lady. Maybe her life wouldn't be hopeless after all...

"Kushina!"

The red-head spun around to find Shikaku walking toward her, Choza at his side. The former had his hands shoved in his pockets as he nodded at the kunoichi. "I have new assignments for the Chuunin Exams."

"New, huh?" Kushina took the proffered scroll from him. "What was wrong with the old ones? And why am I suddenly getting an assignment?" she softly murmured as she quickly yet carefully unrolled the tiny scroll.

"Eh," the dark-haired jonin shrugged, "Guess some shinobi came back, and the Hokage thought they'd be better elsewhere. We just got put on field duty." He sighed, and Kushina knew it was because he hadn't wanted to do more work than necessary.

"Yeah, and they won't allow us to have food until the designated breaks." Choza complained between handfuls of chips he shoved in his mouth. Kushina raised an eyebrow and Shikaku shook his head.

Her attention returned to the scroll. "What?" she hissed as she re-read her assignment. "Exam Proctor? What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh man, Shikaku, you must be so jealous right now!" Choza chuckled as he sucked on his fingertips, getting the last of the salt from his snack. "Mikoto gets knocked up and Kushina gets that position."

"But...what do I do with _this_?" Kushina crinkled her nose in confusion as she looked between the two former teammates. _Oh, crap, I forgot, I need to visit Mikoto before she pops! _she silently reminded herself. She still couldn't believe that one of her close friends had already married and was expecting. The newly married Uchiha was expecting her first child with Fugaku. Kushina cared very little for the cold man, but she knew that Mikoto loved him deeply. She hadn't realized how close Mikoto was to giving birth to her first child. Kushina was sure that it was the Uchiha bride's absence that warranted the need for the redhead to lend her aid during the exams.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," Shikaku grumbled, his expression filled with defeat. "You sit there and make sure the students don't cheat. The ultimate breeze of a duty."

"That's a load of crap," Kushina cried, "I would rather be in the field, not this piece of shit assignment!" She furiously threw the crumpled piece of parchment on the ground.

"The orders are final, unfortunately," Shikaku remarked. "By order of the Hokage."

"Lucky," Choza shook his head in disbelief. "Think of how much food you can eat, Kushina."

"Do you always have to talk about food, you—" Kushina began, quickly cut off by Shikaku's hand as he clamped it over her mouth, his eyes wide with a silent warning.

"What?" Choza replied, his voice hinting his wariness as his eyes narrowed dangerously. His expression suddenly grew very dark as his cheeks turned crimson. "Let her say it, Shikaku."

Shikaku cursed under his breath, involuntarily releasing his hand from its grip on Kushina's mouth. The kunoichi glared at him angrily as she wiped her lips with the back of her arm. She cleared her throat.

"I was _saying_," she stared at Shikaku before her gaze flickered over to Choza, "that _you are_...making me hungry!" She smiled tentatively, hoping that Choza bought it. The large jonin studied Kushina carefully as she patted her stomach enthusiastically. Shikaku was almost positive that it growled on cue.

"Where can I get something to eat around here?" she wondered aloud, inwardly proud of her own acting abilities.

Shikaku smacked his forehead as Choza suddenly smiled, talking quickly as he rattled off every restaurant within a five kilometer distance. The two began to walk away without him as Kushina asked Choza's opinion on the diner down the street.

"You coming, Nara?" Kushina sweetly called over her shoulder, waving at the dark-haired jonin.

"She is either one of the smartest people I know," he muttered as he followed the pair, "Or one of the luckiest."

* * *

Kushina impatiently plucked the grass as she awaited the trio of genin. The soft breeze billowed under her long-sleeved jacket, which she fastened around her waist. She tugged at the black shorts peeking out from under the mid-thigh length jacket, cursing that she had decided to wear knee-high boots. She couldn't find her other shoe, so she had to resort to wearing her "hooker kunoichi" ones, as she so lovingly deemed them. She ran a hand through her crimson hair, pulling the top away from her face as she secured it with the elastic band from her wrist. A few stray strands fell into her face, and she tucked them behind her ears. She thought back to the past few days and her part in the exams. She was still slightly annoyed that she hadn't been allowed to be in the field for the Second Phase, though she had a feeling that her jinchuuriki status had something to do with that. She wouldn't create too much of a fuss about it, as she knew that the entire process was still relatively new and she was adjusting to knowing there was a demon sealed within her. She reminisced about the first part of the Chuunin Exams, making a mental note to _never _agree to sit through that again. It was a trying test of her patience, and she had almost failed that. She hadn't realized she would be sitting there—for hours—simply watching genin take a written exam. She also hadn't expected it to be so boring.

Kushina had smiled proudly as Rin, Kakashi and Obito—the latter taking the longest to finish—completed the First Phase. She had bet that the Uchiha would be their limiting factor, since she knew Kakashi was practically a prodigy. _Another Minato_, she thought to herself, somewhat jealous that things came so easily to some people. She couldn't complain, though, as she had never been at the bottom of her class. She had been in the middle. Mediocre. It hadn't been until the shinobi experienced field training that she began to see that she had a knack for her jutsu. Sure, her goofing off had detracted from her overall abilities, but she hadn't realized that until after the bell test.

Minato's bell test.

Kushina sighed. She didn't want to give the jonin credit for blossoming her obsessive desire to grow stronger, but she couldn't deny the competitiveness she had felt when they had sparred. He was so superior to her that it had nearly driven her into a frenzied rage. She had never admitted that to anyone, not even herself. But now, looking back, it was so easy to see. Perhaps that was why she was suddenly so keen to help Minato's fledgling team. They were much like her old genin team—and that thought caused a stab of nostalgia. She knew those kids had the necessary skills to become chuunin, but _they _didn't seem to realize it. Well, at least Rin and Obito hadn't. She suspected that Kakashi only worked with the two out of duty, not desire. Kushina contemplated this as she continued to pluck blades of grass from the ground. She could still remember her unease as she paced outside the giant gate of the Forest of Death, awaiting the names of the teams that had made it to the last round of the exam.

She would never forget _that _sound—the sound of the old gate as it swung open. She recalled her surprise as Shikaku and Yoshino were the first jonin to walk out, side-by-side and having a civil conversation. Other jonin began to trickle out, but she sought out the first two familiar faces. Yoshino had toyed with her at first, finally sharing that Team Minato had indeed passed—though barely. She had informed Kushina that it was Kakashi that had carried the team through, as the Uchiha had been badly injured. Rin had managed to heal him enough for the two genin to carry him to the tower. Despite his injury, Obito's resolve helped push them to the finish line, no doubt. How they had retrieved both scrolls, neither Yoshino nor Shikaku had any idea. Team Minato had been the underdogs amongst the jonin betting, followed closely by Asuma's team—who had also passed onto the Third Phase, much to Kushina's excitement. The Hokage's son, however, was at the stage that he did not want her aid or opinion. She was no longer his idol, a thought that caused her some pain.

"Underdogs, hmmph!" Kushina muttered to herself as she plucked another thick strand of greenery between her fingers. She drew back as the sting told her that the blade of grass was indeed sharp. She watched as the blood well around the break in her skin and a thick bead of the red fluid slowly trickled between her fingers. She could feel it sliding down her wrist, finding the pain oddly satisfying.

"What are you doing, masochist?" Obito breathed, his head still wrapped from his two-day hospital stay. Kushina blinked, realizing that Obito and Rin were standing in front of her. In an instant, a green haze covered the redhead's hand.

"Let me heal that," Rin replied softly, her eyes on Kushina's wound as a small smile of satisfaction curved her lips upward. It gave the young girl a sense of pride to be able to help, and the jonin did not argue. Her deep blue gaze flickered to Obito. The bandages wrapped his head, giving it an egg shape as his unruly dark locks stuck out in every direction.

"You look ridiculous," she chuckled, pointing with her other hand. "Like you got your ass handed to you."

A pained expression flickered across his face, and Kushina realized that the memory of Phase Two was still raw. His expression told her that he considered himself to be the very thing that held the team back. Perhaps the whispers of the trait-less Uchiha were starting to get to him...

Kushina quickly stood, glancing at her hand and brushing the medic aside, "Thanks, Rin. I can take it from here." She looked back to Obito as she pulled something from her pocket, shoving it out in front of her body. "Here. Got you a present."

"Huh? For me? _Me_?" Obito's jaw fell open as he hesitantly grabbed for the poorly wrapped gift Kushina held out to him.

"Yeah..." she grinned proudly as he immediately and excitedly tore the delicate tissue paper away from the item. His eyes grew wide as his fingertips traced along the soft rubber contour. "I, er, thought you could use another pair, considering yours were broken. Gotta protect those Uchiha eyes, kid! They'll do you a whole lotta good someday, you know?"

"Wow!" he breathed in surprise as his eyes grew as wide as possible. The swelling under them had subsided, and he was left with dark purple rings that made him look like a raccoon. He glanced up at her, his expression sheepish, "Thanks, Kushina. You're not so bad after all."

"No problem," she nodded, keeping her playfulness to a minimum. She realized that his inability to use his Sharingan weighed heavily on him, and she didn't want him to give up on it. She knew it was not the time to discuss it, not in front of Rin.

She looked around, "Where's the other pain in the ass?"

"He's at the monument," Rin whispered, her expression tinged with sadness as she glanced at the ground, her fingers turning white as she squeezed her hands. Obito was oblivious to his teammate's words as he painfully tried to maneuver the goggles around his bandaged head. In the end, he couldn't wrangle the elastic band over the dressings, leaving him to pout like a child, his eyes watering from his apparent frustration.

"Monument?" Kushina echoed, quickly realizing the significance of Rin's words. _His father's grave_.

She decided to change the subject before Obito began to question them. He was currently trying to pull the goggle straps over his bandaged head for a second time, though still without much success. Kushina couldn't tear her eyes from the genin's poor strategy as she spoke to the duo, "Eh, I just wanted to come by to offer some help, since you have a month to get in shape. You won't be able to use one another now, as the upcoming battles are one on one."

"I know," Rin's voice was low as she chewed her lip nervously, her eyes darted anywhere but to Kushina.

The red-head knew the girl was worried, as she was not as physically strong as her peers. "Rin, don't give up yet! There are ways to use your medical knowledge to benefit you in a fight. If you have an attitude like that, you'll never pass. Besides," she jerked her thumb towards Obito, "You'll end up _looking_ like _that_."

Rin's eyes grew wide at Kushina's humor, and Obito's head snapped up, "Hey—what?"

"Nothing!" the two females chirped together, Rin stifling a snort. Kushina found her so much prettier when she smiled.

"Now, as soon as that pain in my ass Hatake gets here, we can start practicing," she instructed them, stretching her arms out from her sides as she watched Obito attempt the goggles for a third time. _It'll be my first real training since the exchange_, she reminded herself. _ I wonder if I'll feel any differently?_

She could still remember Mito's funeral. Far fewer guests attended than had been present at Lady Sarutobi's funeral—perhaps because most had forgotten the former First Lady existed. Regardless, it had been a beautiful ceremony, and Hiruzen had given a touching speech. It may have been small, but it had been powerful. Mito's prepared body had looked so frail and weak—unlike how Kushina remembered her.

"It had been because of you that she kept herself alive. _For_ you," the Hokage had told her as she stood, staring at the coffin of yet another person she cared about. "You have a way of touching everyone around you, my dear. Don't lose that."

Kushina didn't truly understand what he meant. She never _tried_ to change anyone. She was only ever herself—the same chatterbox kunoichi she had been since her childhood. Her language was foul, and perhaps she had lost her urge for prank-playing...but she would always be the same old Uzumaki Kushina.

_Red Hot Habanjero_, as Jiraiya had recently deemed her. Apparently, he had been calling her that for years, but she had only just become privy to that information. She had come to care about the toad sage as well, and welcomed his company during his return—much to her surprise. Despite his annoyingly perverse nature, he was surprisingly gifted with seals.

"Yeah, yeah," Obito muttered, interrupting her thoughts, "But why are _you_ training us?"

"_Because_," Kushina pulled a face, "You need someone to make you work. You only have a month, and your team leader is not here, remember?" She missed the widening of Rin's eyes and the look of confusion on Obito's face as she heard the third genin approaching his teammates. She turned toward the newcomer, "Hatake, I may hate your little annoying ass, but I heard you were one hell of a contestant the in the Forest. Don't let that go to your he—"

She stopped mid-sentence as she quickly realized it wasn't Kakashi standing at the edge of the forest. The two jonin stared at one another for a few minutes, Kushina blinking rapidly as her heart raced. The two genin behind her shifted uncomfortably on their feet as a few knowing glances were passed between them. Kushina mumbled an apology, her former embarrassment and anxiety returning. She quickly tried to regain her composure as she wondered if she had brushed her hair before leaving her apartment. She began smoothing it with her palms before she realized what she was doing. How could his appearance elicit such feelings within her?

"Kushina-san," Minato grinned, the move hesitant at first. "So good to see you!"

She allowed another moment of observation. He was not acting like a scorned lover, nor was he behaving as if her held any ill-will toward her. In fact, he was treating her as if she were any normal person. Any _other _person.

And _that_ affected her.

"Minato," she murmured politely, her voice nearly faltering. "You are back. I mean, I can see that you are _back_...obviously. I was just saying that you have _returned._" He raised an eyebrow as she stumbled through her explanation. She inhaled deeply, hoping to try again. "What I _meant_ to say was: it would have been nice to know that you were back in Konoha," she growled, turning to cast an annoyed glance toward the two genin. Obito whistled and Rin avoided the icy blue glare.

"You sons of bitches," she whispered through clenched teeth as she caught the movement from the corner of her eye. Silver hair told her that Kakashi was slowly approaching the group. As he neared, he cast her an amused look after his eyes flickered to his sensei.

"Minato-sensei has returned, I think," he replied from behind his mask.

"I can _see _that. Thanks for the highly astute observation, oh Mighty One," she hissed in annoyance while doing her best to act normal.

"I heard you had been helping my team," Minato replied cheerfully, ignoring the exchange. "I would like to thank you, as would my students."

"It's no problem," Kushina waved her hands, "They were pleasant—well, except for Hatake. Then again, he's normally always pissed off at the world."

"I'm not pissed off," Kakashi remarked coolly.

"Thank you, Kushina-san," Rin bowed, nudging Obito and casting a pleading look to Kakashi.

"Ow!" the dark-haired boy whined, quickly realizing what his teammate was prompting him to do. "Oh, yeah, uh, Thanks, Masochist."

"Masochist?" Minato repeated the foreign word, his brow knit in confusion.

Kushina clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. "If he wasn't a kid...I swear..."

"Well, with that said, I don't think my team would have made it this far without you, Uzumaki-san, so thank you for helping them—especially Rin," he beamed as he looked over his team. "They looked good in the field, from what I could see. Really improved."

"You _saw _them?" Kushina quickly blurted. She thought his smile looked contrived_._

"I was on standby for the Second Phase, of course," he replied easily, nodding as if it were common knowledge. "I had returned just in time, so the Hokage allowed me to participate."

"Oh, I see," Kushina replied her eyes looking past him. She felt oddly upset by that knowledge.

"Well, I'll take over from here, if you don't mind," he casually offered, brushing his hand through his hair.

"You were injured?" Kushina asked, noticing that two of his fingers were taped together. They were swollen like sausages, and she could see that the nail on the second digit was black. It would not be saved, she knew. She suddenly felt her stomach sink as she recalled Mito's warning about Minato injuring himself on a mission...

"Oh this?" he asked, easily dismissing her concern. "It's nothing to worry about!"

Kushina couldn't take her eyes off of his hand, the guilt eating at her insides. Had he been injured because he was distracted by their last encounter? Her rejection of him...

"It wasn't...because of anything..." she whispered, cringing as he returned his still-swollen fingers to his jacket pocket—his sleeve covering his arm.

"Of what, Uzumaki-san?" Minato politely asked, his brow creased as he studied her intently. She could tell he had no idea what she was referring to, or at least, he feigned being oblivious. She considered the latter, but felt him incapable of deceit. She felt a knot in her throat at the former.

"Oh," she blinked, her gaze focusing on his face as she recovered, "N-Nothing!" She plastered on a fake smile for full measure. "I guess I'll leave you to train your team, then. Of course. I mean, they are yours. Not _yours _yours, but _your _students. That's what I meant!" She jerkily turned toward the genin trio, saluting slightly as she cringed at her sudden babbling. "It was nice while it lasted!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow in amusement, and she wanted to kick him. She was able to refrain for the moment. Obito looked completely baffled and Rin deflated as the girl smiled weakly. _Thank you, _she mouthed as Kushina turned to walk away.

Kushina looked at Minato, doing her best not to stare. "You better get them ready for the Phase Three, or all the blame's on you!"

He nodded, his smile fading somewhat, though he did not turn to watch her leave. She felt her cheeks burn as she strode off. She hadn't known he was back! How could she set herself up for such a meeting?

_You idiot! Fool! _she chastised herself. _How had you _not _known? Both Jiraiya and the Hokage must have been aware of Minato's return._ Why didn't either mention it to her?

_Because you're not his girlfriend, you dummy! Is that was this is about? You want to be his girlfriend? _her inner voice taunted.

"OK, you three, I've had some time to think, and all of you have some work to do..." she could hear Minato's cheerful tone carrying after her. An odd sense of desire filled her. All she wanted to do was to shake Minato and ask him to tell her what he was thinking. Had the passion of his confession died out? Had he moved on with his life? And while she was just adjusting to hers, no less!

Perhaps what upset her the most was that the entire debacle was her fault. She had rejected him. How could she expect him to hold onto those emotions when she made it clear that she did not reciprocate those feelings? How could she expect him to still care when she was too blind to see her feelings for him in the first place? She was being ridiculous and she knew it! She had chosen her path and she would have to deal with it.

But, what if she didn't _want _to deal with it?

* * *

Kushina cringed as Obito was dealt a crushing blow by his opponent. Rin had, surprisingly, defeated her challenger—a gangly boy from a faraway village. The girl had put up a rousing fight, using her medical prowess to her advantage, something Ken attributed to his girlfriend—and rightfully so.

Still, it didn't stop Kushina from rolling her eyes as he pointed that out to her, his mask unable to hide his conceit. Kushina crossed her arms over her chest, pretending that they were not having a conversation while he as supposed to be standing guard. Her eyes were ahead as she pretended to speak to Hitoshi—who was standing next to her. Iruka was sitting cross-legged in front of his father, his gaze fixed on the championship below. He was only a year or two into the Academy, and it would be a while before he participated in the exams. Still, Kushina couldn't help but smile as the way the boy's eyes widened in wonderment at the battles he was witnessing. Occasionally, he would turn to look at his father, pointing excitedly at the arena before them. Kushina couldn't get over the overwhelming likeness between her former sensei and his son. She wondered if, someday, she would have a child that resembled her that closely.

"Seriously, Ken, shut up! I'm trying to listen to what's going on, not your yammering," she grunted as she watched the medics feel Obito's neck for a pulse. His skin was ashen, and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. The spindly and awkward genin in the green jumpsuit was surprisingly strong, Kushina would admit. Especially since he used nothing but taijutsu.

"...Uchiha who can't use his kekkai genkai..."

"What a waste..."

"...Fall of the Uchiha Clan..."

Kushina tried to shut out the annoying banter regarding Obito's inability to use his Sharingan. He was well past the age that most Uchiha shinobi displayed their ability, and it appeared that it was reflecting badly on the genin's clan.

"Hey you! Yeah, you in the black top! Yeah. _You_. Stop gossiping about a _kid_, dammit! Don't you have better things to do?" she pointed at the man seated a few rows back, her eyes narrowed in anger. The victim of her verbal assault glared down at her. "Stop being so judgmental, you bastard! Why don't _you _go out there and do better? Did your balls descend with the rest of them?" She continued to stare the man down, noticing the sweat beading on his temple. He slowly lowered himself into his seat as others around him chuckled. "_That's_ what I thought. Sit down. Ass."

"Dude, cool it, Kushina. The _kid_," Ken warned from behind the cool porcelain mask. Hitoshi raised an eyebrow, remaining silent. Iruka was paying them no mind. "I'll have to take you in if don't behave. Terroristic behavior. Corruption of minors."

"I'd like to see you try it," she grunted her challenge, taking a deep breath. "It just pisses me off that they have to pick on a poor kid. Just let him figure it out! Not everything comes easy to everyone, dammit!"

"I would have thought," Ken replied calmly, his gaze on the arena floor as they carried Obito through the arched doorways and announced his opponent as the winner. The young man leaped up and down before doing laps around the arena. "That Namikaze would have worked on that ability."

"I dunno." Kushina knew very little about the Uchiha Clan's kekkai genkai, aside from what she saw of Mikoto's ability. She still had to congratulate her friend on her recent birth of a healthy baby boy, she remembered.

"I wonder how his hand is," Ken murmured under his breath.

"Eh?" Kushina asked as the next duo was ushered into the arena. More cheers. "What happened to his hand?" She tried to sound aloof, though recalling his bruised and battered fingers.

"I don't know, she can't really tell me," he admitted, referring to his lover. "He had been assigned to bring that Toad Guy back or something. I dunno, not ANBU territory, so Namikaze took it. Apparently, there is whispering of another war on the horizon. Seems that Minato encountered some trouble along the borders. Anyhow, he came back in, his arm pretty messed up...what? Two months ago, now. Looks like it healed up pretty nicely." He nodded toward where Minato was standing on the platform near the Hokage, his attention on the battle in the arena.

"I see," she replied softly, half-listening. _Two months? _He had been back that long and she had no idea. If that wasn't proof of how he regarded her, then she didn't know what else was. Suddenly her eyes flew open, "Wait, what? What did you say?"

Ken looked at her, his head tilted and tone filled with annoyance, "What part do you need me to repeat?"

"War?" her voice wavered slightly as she thought about the violence she had seen as a child. If there was a war, would Konoha need their secret weapon?

Ken shrugged, "Been some talk for a while. Probably a ways off yet, if it's gonna happen. It's something we have to think about. The Third Kazekage is missing, and they are looking for a fight. Makes me wonder if it was an inside job, and a war'll conceal it."

_Another war_, she gloomily thought. If she was needed—no, if the _nine-tails_ was needed—there would be no time for happiness.

_Love_, Mito had told her to fill herself with love. Kushina's mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to formulate a rational thought, but each time, her mind failed her. She tilted her face toward the Hokage's seat as she stared up at the kage, the toad sage, the ANBU surrounding him, and the blonde-haired jonin at his side. Minato stared out over the arena, too engrossed in what was going on.

"Hey, you OK?" Ken asked softly, his tone filled with concern as his eyes remained ahead. Hitoshi continued to silently observe the exam as his former students spoke.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kushina recovered, her attention back to the arena. "Hatake's up next, right? He better win, I placed money on the kid."

"Well, hope it pays big, because you're buying tonight when we celebrate the end of this damned exam. I could use a good hangover."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

**A/N: I _know _I promised more, but the chapter was getting too long. I'm set on getting some lovelies in the next one! I did want to let everyone know that, next month, I may not update at all-as I'll be abroad for a medical mission trip. I'm not sure if where I'll be in Africa will have internet, so we will see. With that said, I'll try to get a juicy chapter out soon to repay you all for being the _best_ mother effing readers on this planet! **Thank you all.** Without you, I'd have never continued this story. I know it's long and drawn out, but I'm big on plot development as well as character development. If that takes me 50 chapters instead of 10, so be it. I know it's tough to stick with it (it's tough to keep writing for over a year!), but I appreciate all the support and reviews. It truly keeps me going as a writer. I'm not perfect, but I try to deliver quality work. Thank you :)**

**With that said, please _read and review_. I know it's an extra step, and I'm grateful for those who take it. I won't lie, it makes me feel all warm and gooey inside (even the negative ones). Like I accomplished my goal of giving you a worthy read. **

...Also, latest manga chapter with Ino-Shika-Cho was a bit amazing, no?

(Updated 2/26: Thanks, M-R)


	34. Peace and War

"This isn't going to end well," Ken whispered under his breath. Kushina shot him a warning look, knowing that he was referring to Asuma and not so much Kakashi. "That Hatake kid is something else. I've seen him in the field. Shame the elders have been holding him back."

"He's had to grow up fast," Hitoshi agreed as he stared out at the arena. Kushina knew that her former sensei had been close with Hatake Sakumo, and his untimely death still weighed heavily on the former team leader.

"Would someone have a little faith in Asuma, _please_?" she growled, her palms sweating. She knew the two men were correct: Asuma was going to have his work cut out for him. From her short time helping Minato's team, she had realized that Kakashi had been far more advanced than his teammates. So much so that Kushina wasn't so sure she could easily best the kid. She would never utter that thought to a single soul, as it agitated her to no end.

"I give him two minutes. Tops," Ken grunted. Kushina refrained from punching him, mostly because it mean an instant arrest for assaulting an ANBU officer, no matter if he was acting like a pig.

"Not much longer than that, if he does," Hitoshi murmured softly, glancing at Iruka—who was excitedly watching the display below.

"Seriously? What is wrong with you two?" Kushina stared at them, incredulous that they were betting over _children_.

"You want to wager something, Uzumaki?" She could hear Ken's smirk behind his mask.

She opened her mouth to protest, quickly realizing that it was futile. Despite her love for Asuma, he spent more time horsing around than studying or practicing. She was proud that he had made it this far, but she had never _expected _it. She sighed, slumping against the railing, her mouth snapping shut.

"Smart move," Ken nodded.

"I'll kill you. Later," she growled her promise. "When it won't cost me a night in the an Interrogation Tank."

"I'll look forward to it." His voice was filled with amusement, and she wasn't entirely convinced he was kidding.

She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the arena warily. She almost wished that Asuma would forfeit before his fight began as this wasn't Kakashi's first Chuunin Exam. Rumor had it that a few older jonin had boycotted his appointment to chuunin status at such a young age, and she couldn't entirely disagree with that notion. He had been a kid. A kid who had lost a parent, no less. It was a lot to bear, especially during a war. She couldn't imagine the Hokage allowing a child on the battlefront, no matter how much of a prodigy he may be. She sighed at her thoughts, there was no way Asuma would come out of this fight the victor. He'd have to really pull something out of his sleeve for _that _to happen.

The redhead could see her chakra blades at his waist, as he and Kakashi stared at one another. He had asked to borrow them, and she had consented. Her attachment to them ran deep, but for a Chuunin Exam, she wouldn't miss them too much. Someday, the relics would be returned to the Sarutobi Clan, anyhow. She studied the two young men, noticing how Asuma's posture grew rigid, his face hidden by his long unwashed locks. Words were being exchanged, though she couldn't hear them. Kakashi was goading him, she knew.

In a blink of an eye, a large cloud of ash spread toward Kakashi. He stood his ground, the ash surrounding him quickly and swirling as the wind picked up. The thunderous explosion tore through the arena as people screamed while others 'oooh'-ed. Kushina leaned forward, impressed. The cloud slowly sank, and Asuma's forearms dropped to his sides, no longer necessary to shield his face from the heat. A smirk pulled at his lips as he triumphantly saw the ash-covered, charred form ahead of him.

"Did he—" Kushina began, squinting as the cloud cleared, leaving nothing.

"Not possible. No way," Ken breathed, shaking his head. Hitoshi said nothing.

Asuma continued to stare ahead, his body swaying oddly. The only expression she could see was the triumphant smile on his face. Her gaze flickered to where Kakashi had been standing, but she saw nothing. She looked back at Asuma, her stomach sinking as she realized he was seeing something her eyes could not. Or would not.

"He thinks he's won," Hitoshi answered in quiet explanation, offering nothing else. He didn't need to, as his words only confirmed what she had pushed away from the wall, her hands gripping the railing as she glanced at Hiruzen. He was stiff as he peered down at his son.

"Shit...you stupid idiot," she cursed under her breath.

She caught the flickering movement, and her gaze was drawn to the deadly silent assault. Kakashi sailed down from somewhere above—she hadn't even seen him move. A white streak emanated in an arc-like path, following the movement of the pale blade in Kakashi's sure hands. He swung his weapon down, intending to maim. She caught sight of Minato leaning forward from the veranda, a look of shock and concern on his face. A flicker of Hiruzen's hand calmed him, though she could see the his white knuckles as he gripped the steel railing.

The crowd cheered, pulling Kushina's attention back to the battle. She sputtered in shock as Asuma managed to lift a trench blade to block Kakashi's blow. The sword slid along the blade; the sound of metal on metal grating in her ears. Kakashi's eyes betrayed his usual, calm exterior as he leaped back, narrowly dodging the invisible slicing blades Asuma unleashed on him.

"He freed himself!" she exclaimed, visibly impressed with the youngest Sarutobi's ability to recognize—and break—the genjutsu.

"Shit! I lost out on my money!" Ken whined as he reached for his wallet. He scowled as he tossed a few coins to Hitoshi, who said nothing as he curled his fingers around the cold metal. The move was entirely missed by Kushina, who was too engrossed in the fight below.

Asuma hissed his frustration as another air assault was launched by Kakashi. The Hokage's son blocked the blow again, though Kushina thought it was a weak attempt on Kakashi's part. She was immediately proven correct as Asuma easily sank a kunai into Kakashi's shoulder. The pale-haired genin disappeared in an electric haze as Asuma screamed, his body convulsing as the lightning flickered across his skin. His momentary hesitation was enough for Kakashi to strike as his bait had been taken. A hand shot out from the ground, grabbing Asuma around his ankle. Kakashi pulled his opponent into the earth, leaving an already-paralyzed Asuma up to his chin in dry soil. The pale-haired shinobi stood above his competition, his arms folded across his chest as Asuma hazily stared ahead, his body not yet recovered from the electrical shock pulsating through him. A hesitant clapping echoed around the arena, picking up with more vigorous cheers. Kakashi stared at Asuma, shrugging as he turned and silently strode from the grounds as he was announced the victor.

"How many elements can he use?" Kushina marveled, despite her concern for Asuma.

"More than some jonin," Hitoshi shook his head slowly. "And Minato tells me he has created his own jutsu."

"That son of a bitch," Kushina muttered under her breath, awed. "He won. In under five minutes, too!"

"Told ya Hatake was good," Ken pointed out, still pouting about his lost bet.

"Give Asuma some credit, he managed to predict Kakashi's genjutsu," Hitoshi added, a smile on his lips. "That Yuhi girl must have helped him."

Kushina faintly registered that name, but she was too impressed with Kakashi's abilities to formulate a comeback. She cursed under breath as she watched him confidently stride from the field in preparation for the next round. The entire fight had been nothing more than a mere exercise for him—one that he had never anticipated losing. Kushina was annoyed by his arrogance, but the kid knew his capabilities. She glanced up at Minato as he lowered his head, his eyes closed. She was unsure of his expression. Was it frustration? Pride? Relief? Kakashi could have easily killed Asuma, as the Hatake boy had very little tolerance for shinobi who did not take their duties seriously. Asuma was guilty of that and more, Kushina knew, so perhaps it was Minato's reaction that had kept the pale-haired boy from totally annihilating the Hokage's son. It was apparent that Hiruzen did not want any special considerations for his youngest child, and Kushina felt it was for the best.

Her eyes followed Kakashi as he disappeared into the long, dark corridor, his frame engulfed by the shadows as the crowd cried their support for him. If he wasn't promoted to Chuunin, the entire village would be outraged.

And, if he _was _promoted to Chuunin, Kushina was positive that Obito would quite possibly develop his kekkai genkai from sheer rage.

* * *

Kushina peered through the thick cigarette smoke, her eyes scanning the crowd for the dark-haired kunoichi. The redhead slid through the shinobi hoards, taking in the various symbols etched into their shining metal forehead protectors. Some were intermingled with other nations while others were strictly conversing with their own comrades. She spotted Tsume at the bar, Kuromaru curled around her stool as she stirred her drink with a dark red straw. The rest of their class would join them later, after they completed their assigned duties. Shikaku had the luxury of sitting through the daimyos' decisions regarding who would be promoted and who would have to try again next time, a duty Kushina was sure he thoroughly enjoyed.

She was positive that a certain silver-haired genin was being promoted, but his two teammates would not be so fortunate. Kakashi had been the last shinobi standing—so to speak—defeating every competitor. Kushina cringed as she remembered Rin forfeiting when she realized she was up against her teammate. She had been reduced to tears, instantly signaling her defeat. It was a-pathetic display of adoration by the girl, though Kushina was positive that the Team Minato medic never stood a chance, anyhow. Even worse, in her eyes, was Kakashi's reaction. He had merely shrugged at her admission of defeat, walking off the field without her as the crowd hissed their disapproval. Minato looked relieved, obviously not wanting to have two of his pupils in the hospital. Or, at least, that's what Kushina imagined him to be thinking.

"What? You started without me?" Kushina pointed to Tsume's glass, pouting dramatically.

She was knocked into by a staggering shinobi. "Shorry, shir," the hefty woman muttered, smelling of liquor. Kushina smiled as the large kunoichi continued past the duo. She glanced around, noticing the never-ending flow of drinks. The bartender struggled to keep up with the ninjas' demands as they flocked the bar, their glasses waving. The tavern was a madhouse in the wake of the Chuunin Exams that had ended the day prior. She wondered if it had always been like this: drunken debauchery after the younger generation finished fighting for a new status.

"Eh," Tsume grunted, her gaze dancing around the nearby bar. "Look at all of these drunks. Puts me to shame."

"What is it?" Kushina lifted the glass, tipping the clear liquid from side to side. Tsume opened her mouth to reply, looking startled and embarrassed. She reached out to reclaim her beverage, but Kushina sipped the contents. "_Water_?"

Tsume's face turned dark red as she snatched her glass back, some of it spilling onto her vest. "Yeah, so what about it? Not really thirsty, I guess."

"Weird, that's all..." Kushina narrowed her eyes mischievously, "Who are you, and what did you do to Tsume?"

"Shut the hell up, bitch," Tsume smirked nervously. "Just sit down and shove a drink in your piehole, dammit."

"Yes, ma'am!" Kushina saluted, looking around. "It's busy in here!"

"Sure is," her friend whined. Kuromaru raised his head to look at her, before lowing it between his paws.

"He's looking overprotective," Kushina pointed at the large dog at their feet.

"Yeah..." Tsume muttered, her eyes scanning the bar as she sipped her water. Kushina didn't know what to make of the newly sober kunoichi. She had nearly pressed the issue, but the loud scraping of chairs and shouts filled with profanities interrupted her thoughts.

"What the hell is that noise?" the dog-nin followed Kushina's gaze. "Killin' my ears!"

Kushina craned her neck to look over the masses, spying a Suna-nin holding Asuma by his neck, his face dangerously close to the Hokage's son. "You heard me!" she thought she heard him hiss into Asuma's face. She saw the spittle hit the young man's cheek as the scarred Sand shinobi lifted Asuma from the floor.

"You better take it back, you piece of shit," the youngest Sarutobi's smiled held a ferocity as his eyes bulged from his head from the increased pressure in his skull.

Kushina groaned at the dispute, "It's Asuma. I need to stop this before it begins. It won't look good if the Hokage's son is arrested."

Tsume grunted her approval, both women weaving through the hoards of drunken celebrators. The men and women cleared a path when the large canine led the way for the Inuzuka heiress and her friend.

"What's the problem, gentlemen?" Tsume thrust her way through the circle of men in front of her, her arms crossing over her chest as she looked from the Sunagakure shinobi to Asuma. Kushina stumbled forward from behind the wild-haired woman.

"Mind your own business, woman," the man hissed, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. It slid to the dog, "Your stupid mutt, too."

"We_ are_ minding our business," Kushina cheerfully replied before Tsume could react violently, "You are in our village, and that is my brother." She pointed at Asuma. "See? My business."

"Your brother?" the man repeated, his grip slackening on Asuma's neck.

The young man's feet hit the floor and he took a step backward, rubbing his throat as he glared at the Sand-nin. "Kushina—stay out of this. I can handle myself," he hoarsely responded.

"I can see that, stupid, but we won't tolerate any fighting during times of peace. We need to remember why we are here," she looked at him solemnly, her eyes noticing the dark bruises on his neck. She felt her anger rise in her throat.

"I've only heard of two sons in regards to your Hokage. Are you his bastard daughter?" the man sneered as his comrades snickered.

Kushina immediately decided she didn't like this man as his eyes laughed at her from beneath his dark blonde locks. His nose was wide, and he was missing a few teeth. A large scar spanned his forehead and a fresh scab covered the left side of his face. He jut a fat forefinger at her as he laughed, "You hear that, guys? She's the bastard daughter of the pathetic excuse for the Leaf's leader."

"Watch your fucking mouth!" Asuma hissed, stepping forward, his fists balled. The men behind him—some wearing Sunagakure hitai-ites, others wearing Kumo forehead protectors—closed in around him.

"What are you going to do, little boy? Are you and your pathetic sister going to hurt us?"

Laughter. Cheers of approval. Kushina heard the tavern grow deathly silent, and she tried her best to suppress the whispering in her head; the voice encouraging her to react. She shook her head, fighting the dark thoughts.

"You know," the Suna-nin continued, tapping his chin. "I had heard of Konohagakure's greatness, but all I see is a washed up Hokage who is still crying about his wife's death and a sissy ass pansy who is going to take over after him. Embarrassment to the shinobi world, right guys?"

Cheers. Blood furiously pounded in Kushina's ears as Asuma angrily fought against his restrainers.

"Enough," Kushina growled, stepping past the man so that she could block Asuma from pulling free and strangling him. Her eyes flashed at the men holding the young Hiruzen. They begrudgingly let go of Asuma, who turned to glare at them murderously. She grabbed his arm, her grip tight as her eyes flickered back to the offending shinobi. "Watch your tongue, fool. Remember where you are."

"I _know_ where I am," the man cooed. "It's a place I couldn't give two spits about. I'd rather be disemboweled than swear my loyalty to this place."

"I'll kill you, sandeater," Asuma hissed as Kushina held him back. "Be careful what you wish for!"

"Calm yourself, Asuma," she muttered under her breath, her eyes never leaving the Suna-nin. "They are purposely trying to get a rise out of you. Don't sink to their level." At this point, all eyes and ears were focused on what was occurring. It could be a pivotal moment in the peaceful tidings of Konoha and its allies.

"What did you call me?" the man snarled, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he took a step toward Asuma.

"Nothing!" Kushina feigned a smile as she patted Asuma on the shoulder. She squeezed him in warning as he opened his mouth to protest. "We are just going to leave you men to it and go back to enjoying our drinks. Do the same!"

"He said something," the man repeated suspiciously. It was obvious to Kushina that he was _looking _for a fight. A reason to cause havoc. "Seems as if he likes to cower behind the bitch and his daddy. Typical Leaf-nin."

She knew Asuma wasn't going to easily forgive this man for his comments about Biwako and Hiruzen, nor would she. Kushina turned to look at the dark-haired ninja, her hand on his shoulder. "No one ever died from a little hospitality, did they?" she whispered through her smile. "Just calm yourself, for _now_." _Later_, her dark blue eyes told him.

He nodded slowly and hesitantly.

"Good," she exhaled slowly, trying her best to ignore what the Sand shinobi was shouting behind her. She would have to work harder to get that one to calm down. She maintained her smile as she attempted to control the rage that was pulsating through her. Asuma was struggling to control himself and even Tsume was arguing with a few nearby ninja.

"—And I met that piece of shit Namikaze, once. Not much of a man, and probably even worse of a choice for the village's fuckin' Hokage. What a joke, that title! In fact, after fighting with that pansy, I'd say he likes di—"

She whirled around quickly, feeling the satisfying crunch of his teeth beneath her knuckles as she hit him with as much strength as she could muster. He was thrown backward from the impact of Kushina's punch as people gasped in surprise at the sheer force with which she hit him. Behind her, she could hear Asuma bashing together the two heads of the Kumo-nin.

"Atta girl, Kushina!" Tsume whooped as she scared away the handful of ninja near her, Kuromaru circling her slowly. "Don't let them say shit about Konoha."

"Don't," the redhead hissed, her eyes flashing their unbridled fury as her hair wildly flew about her face, "you _ever _come into _my _village and speak about our Hokage _or _our future leader in such a manner. Ever. I _will_ kill you." _Kill! Kill! Kill! _pulsated with every beat of her heart. She savored the encouraging rage growing inside of her. Her promise was laced with the venom as she watched the man rise from the broken table beneath him, glass crunching beneath his boots. He wiped his mouth, his lip split clear up to his nose as blood dripped from his chin.

"You'll pay for that," he gurgled. "You and your friends."

He flicked his wrist, and twice as many ninja replaced the ones Asuma had injured. She prepared for the fight the visitor had been instigating all along. She didn't care if she fell into his trap. She could feel the sting of her knuckles and the warm blood between her fingers. She glanced down to see the split skin on her injured hand, the thin barrier easily tearing on the man's crooked teeth.

Tsume cracked her knuckles and bared her incisors as Kuromaru growled menacingly. The shinobi near her quickly retreated in fear of the large wolf. "You sure know how to cause a riot. Good thing you have me, eh? I really shouldn't be fighting, not at a time like this, but what are friends for, right?"

Kushina nodded, her eyes on the man in front of her. Some shinobi were quickly exiting the bar, deciding to stay away from the fight that was about to occur. She didn't blame them. She saw Yoshino step into the bar, a look of confusion on her dark features. When she noticed the gathering crowd and signs of an impending fight, she shoved her hands in her pockets and exited the tavern.

"You're over-protective of that pansy-ass Namikage, girl," the San-nin chuckled, leering at her.

Kushina's attention flickered back to him as Tsume quickly barked a response. "Didn't they teach you in the dunes to never mess with a kunoichi's boyfriend."

Kushina momentarily paled, her mouth opening to dispute Tsume's amused retort. She decided that she didn't care what the oversized gorilla thought of her. The man's fingers twitched near his waist, and Kushina prepared for the worst. She glanced around; they were grossly outnumbered, but she wouldn't go down without a fight.

The Sand-nin sneered at her, "Boyfriend, eh? I didn't think he batted for that team. Such a weak excuse for a _man_."

Kushina could hear the guffaws and snickers, but she didn't supply an answer. It didn't matter, she told herself. Each time he said something negative about someone she knew, her blood boiled more furiously.

She shook her head, recovering, "You've managed to piss me off, and I'm not nice when I'm pissed off."

"You better be prepared to back up that little punch," the man touched his split lip with his thick forefinger, his eyes boring into her, "Because I won't take it easy on you. Even if you are a pathetic woman. I'm equal opportunity."

Without waiting for her to respond, he lunged at her, a curved blade sliding from his sleeve. Asuma turned toward the attackers behind them, and she could hear flesh slicing as he protected her. Kushina moved to block the Sand-nin, but she was too slow. She mentally cursed herself for hesitating to ensure Asuma's safety as the sharp blade swiped for her face. She gasped as the metal was stopped a mere centimeter from her cheek—a three-pronged kunai hovering near the vulnerable flesh of her face. The blonde in front of her deftly held the kunai between his fingers as he blocked what could have been a devastating blow.

He didn't turn toward her, his eyes ahead. She could hear the barely-contained anger in his voice. "That'll do."

The blade retracted and Minato dropped his arm, stepping in front of Kushina. "I have had enough of your trouble-making for this village. This is a time of peace between nations, and your disrespect has gone on long enough. You and your supporters will leave this village, as commanded by the Hokage." He glanced around the tavern, his voice steady as he continued, "Fighting will not be tolerated in Konoha. If that is your desire, you are not welcome here. Anyone supporting this man will be asked to leave as well, as you are detracting from the spirit of the Chuunin Exam."

He focused his threatening glare on the Suna-nin, his voice low in warning, "I'll give you until sundown to leave this village. If I see you after that, I'll kill you on sight." His blue eyes flashed dangerously, and Kushina knew he meant every word. Minato could be ruthless when he wanted to, though she had never seen him like this before.

"Fine," the man whispered harshly, his eyes filled with a controlled fury Kushina would rather forget. He turned to walk away, his eyes on Minato, Kushina and Asuma. "This isn't the last we'll see each other, I'm certain of it." His carelessly stormed away, his arms waving as his voice rose in a dramatic announcement, "Eh, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere!"

He exited the bar and the crowd broke into rumbling reiterations of what they had just seen. Minato's posture was still rigid from the veiled threat. A threat to him he could handle, but a threat to Kushina...

He could easily find the man and kill him, but he would not do such a thing. Not now. Perhaps later, when night had fallen up on the village...

"That was kinda awesome," Tsume breathed, her eyes on Minato, "I didn't think you'd have the balls for _that_."

"He didn't seem to think I had balls, either," Minato shook his head, a lopsided smile replacing his earlier scowl. He turned to Kushina, his eyes wandering over her. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding.

"Your hand, it was bleeding," he looked down, taking her tiny hand in his.

"I-It's fine!" she protested as he wiped her knuckle. Her eyes grew wide as she was unable to spot the injury she recalled sustaining. "Huh?" she inspected her hand more closely, using the hem of her jacket to wipe away the dried blood. Smooth skin gleamed over her knuckles. In her confusion, she met Minato's gaze.

"You were right, you're fine! Good," he smiled. He glanced at Asuma, "Sarutobi-sama, bar fights during times of celebration are not something to promote. Your father—"

"I know," Asuma frowned, rolling his eyes. "I just couldn't help myself. He was saying those things..."

"It's alright, I understand," Minato patted the younger Sarutobi on the shoulder. "Just try to stay out of trouble, I don't want to have to inform your father you were mauled in a fight over his honor."

"He wouldn't believe you anyway," Asuma scoffed.

Minato continued to grin. "I'm sitting over there with Jiraiya," he pointed to a table in the rear of the bar. "Feel free to join us."

Kushina realized he was still holding her hand, and she pulled it away quickly, her face burning. Had he been _that _close the entire time? "T-Thanks!"

He nodded, his expression somber as he cast one last look at her hand. She could hear Jiraiya calling her from the back of the bar as Minato turned to walk away. Tsume jerked her head toward Minato, her eyes wide as Kushina cast the dog-nin a profane gesture.

Before being completely out of earshot, Minato hesitated, turning his head to speak to her over his shoulder, "Make sure to let me know when you leave. I'll escort you home."

Kushina cringed at the satisfied look on Tsume's face. "I'll be fine."

She could see the knowing expression spread across his face. "I figured you'd say that, but it's not negotiable. That Sand-nin may try to come after you, and I'd rather you not face him alone. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but, he's...unpredictable." Minato's eyes became distant. "I've met him before."

"Whatever," she mumbled, unsure of how to answer. He _had_ saved her from having a scar across her face for the remainder of her of her life.

"Besides," he nodded, his gaze shifting toward her as he wore a hint of a smirk on his face. "it's the right thing for your unknowing boyfriend to do, don't you think?"

* * *

Kushina remained silent as they walked side-by-side through the quiet village. Minato pleasantly chattered away, but Kushina only nodded when he glanced at her. She wished for the awkwardness to end, though it seemed as if she were the only one feeling it. She had avoided joining him and Jiraiya until Tsume had dragged her over. The dog-nin's new alcohol free regime kept Kushina from drinking herself into a coma—something she would have preferred but knew was childish. Asuma later joined them, followed by Ken and Shikaku.

It had been pleasant. But now..._now_ she was jittery and anxious.

"Are you feeling well, Uzumaki-san?" Minato asked as he watched her from his periphery. "You seem very...quiet. It's unlike you."

"Oh, yes," Kushina nodded, watching the ground as they neared her apartment. She hated that he was suddenly so formal with her. She almost missed the way they had always argued, though it was usually her yelling at him. She knew the reason for her regret, and she desperately wanted to apologize to him for her wrongdoings. But, she just couldn't bring herself to utter those words—to open that closed chapter in their lives. Instead, she remained silent as they ascended the stairs to her apartment.

"Here you are! Safe and sound!" he quipped, smiling cheerfully. Too cheerfully, it seemed. "It looks like I made a big deal out of nothing!"

"Nothing?" she echoed, looking up at him in realization. Her fingers went to her cheek. "No...it's er, alright." She smiled weakly as she fumbled in her pocket for her key. When she found it, it slipped between her fingers, falling on the landing outside her door.

"Here, let me," he softly replied, bending down to reach for it.

His hand stretched out from under his sleeve, and she could see the splint spanning his wrist. She said nothing, taking the key from his warm fingers. Her own skin tingled as it brushed against his. She suddenly and vividly recalled the feel of his lips on her. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his as he watched her thoughtfully. A lone raindrop splashed her face and she was pulled from her inappropriate thoughts. She quickly looked at the sky, the night clouded and damp. She could smell the rain, and she could hear its pattering against the shingles and concrete.

"Thanks for walking me home," she choked out, her voice shrill and awkward.

"No problem," he smiled. "I'm just glad you are alright." He shook his head, "That was one hell of a punch earlier. It was like something inside of you had taken over."

She glanced up at him again, confused by his words. "Yeah...well, he did kind deserve it." She smiled sheepishly.

"I appreciate that you defended my honor, Uzumaki-san," he bowed as his now-damp hair sparkled with condensation.

"Yeah, well _you _saved the day," Kushina mumbled as she closed her fingers around her key. She quickly turned away to unlock her door, shaky hands gripping the knob. She would coward out of saying what she needed to say—it was inevitable.

"Well, good night, then, er, Minato! See ya sometime," she stammered from inside her doorway as she watched him stand outside in the rain. She felt slightly sorry for him; why couldn't she be the better person?

He waved, a hint of sadness in his features, "Goodnight, Uzumaki-san. Sleep well."

There it was again. _Uzumaki-san. _She felt as if she were going to vomit—a mixture of regret and want. She wordlessly slammed the door on Minato, her heart pounding in her ears.

"_See you sometime_? Idiot!" she growled, shaking her head. "He saved your ass! You would have been deformed for the rest of your life. Deformed inside and outside..." she trailed off, remembering what he had said to her only moments before. _Something inside of you.._

Could he know? Surely she would have noticed him that night. Surely—

Suddenly, it hit her. Her eyes grew wide as she cried out at the revelation. Her hand grabbed for the door as she flung it open. He hadn't yet made it to the steps.

"Minato!" she called. "HEY!"

He turned to face her, the rain matting his hair to his head as he expectantly looked at her. She sucked in a deep breath. "You were there!" she shouted, offering nothing more than her simple statement. He remained silent, prompting her to consider that she may have made a grave error in judgment. Wishful thinking, even. Then, suddenly, she had her answer in one simple gesture. He glanced away.

She stepped out on the landing, the rain washing over her as she watched him take a hesitant step toward the stairs. "That entire time, it was _you_." she gestured toward his arm. "You know about..." she trailed off, the cold rain causing her breath to expel from her lungs. She didn't elaborate any more, hoping that she wasn't delusional.

He slowly turned, walking toward her. His hand was warm on her arm, "Get inside, you'll get sick."

She began to shiver violently, a combination of relief and excitement. He knew! She shook her head, "Why? How?" He glanced past her, into her apartment, still not confirming her suspicions. She was growing frustrated by their game. "I won't go until you answer me."

He gently and wordlessly guided her to her doorway, where the meager covering would shield her from the rain. He pushed her inside while he stood outside, looking down at her. She suddenly grew self-conscious under his stare. Did he want nothing to do with her because she was a jinchuuriki?

"I am going to be the Hokage, Uzumaki-san," his expression was sullen, "Of course I knew. Of course I'd be present. You will be the container during my term."

"Why...didn't you tell me?" she whispered as she shivered.

He was still betraying nothing of his thoughts, and she was growing more anxious with each passing second. After a few moments of contemplation, he finally answered her. "Why didn't you tell_ me_?"

Despite his aloof nature, he couldn't hide the momentary hurt the crossed his features as he questioned why she withheld that secret from him before he left to seek out Jiraiya. Her face turned red as she realized they would be addressing _that _instance. She looked away, suddenly ashamed.

"I almost did," she admitted, looking to the floor. She could fee the hot tears as her emotions overwhelmed her. "But, I couldn't...I couldn't tell you I'd be a monster!" She bit her lip as the tears spilled over, intermingling with the rain that had streaked her face.

"You're not a monster," he softly insisted as he gently hooked a finger under her chin. "You are a hero, Kushina."

Her eyes widened as the tears suddenly halted. "H-Hero?"

He smiled sadly as his eyes studied her face. She felt so small under the intensity of his stare. "I thought there was some reason why you were refusing me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then you almost slipped. I thought it was my imagination, but soon after, the Hokage asked me to retrieve Jiraiya to help with the transition, as he's extraordinarily knowledgeable with sealing techniques. Hiruzen informed me that it was to be you who would take over as the Nine-tails' container. " Minato's face was somber as he spoke, his eyes never leaving her face. "We encountered some trouble on the way back to Konoha, and my arm was badly injured. I hadn't had much time for healing when you were made the new container. I guess I sort of stuck out, huh?"

"A little," Kushina nodded, chewing the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry!" she blurted.

"Sorry? For what?" he asked, his voice soft as his brow furrowed.

"For running away instead of telling you."

"You don't owe me an explanation, Kushina. Why should you tell me? Simply because you pity me and my feelings? I was the one that sprung everything on you. I should be asking for _your forgiveness._"

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard!" she cried, fresh tears on her face. He looked surprised at her outburst—almost hopeful. She continued, "I was afraid you'd be disgusted if you knew! That you'd shun me. Then I met Mito—and she was married to the First Hokage—happily, too."

"How did this discussion jump to marriage?" he asked, his expression filled with amusement.

Kushina's eyes opened wide as her cheeks reddened, "No—I didn't mean _that_! I only meant that she had a normal relationship with someone else!"

He laughed, the dimples in his cheeks taunting her, "I could never be disgusted by you. Nothing you could say or do would change how much I respect you." His fingers reached for a strand of her hair, but he stopped himself with an pained look. His eyes flickered to her face as he carefully chose his words. "You are perfect. Everything about you, Kushina. No matter your feelings, I'll never regret what I said to you that night."

She stared at him, her eyes filled with wonderment. Her heart soared at his idle confession, though he was not as fervent as he had been months before. Before Kushina could convince herself otherwise, she stretched on her toes and kissed him. It was hesitant and unsure, but her intent was clear. She pulled away, her cheeks red as he looked completely astonished by what had just happened. She found it endearing.

"You see, Namikaze, you owe me no apologies. As long as you can handle a feisty redhead _and _a demon!"

His eyes grew round as he understood her meaning. It was obvious by the rigid way he stood there as she pressed her lips against his that he hadn't been expecting her to confess in such a manner—or at all. Had he resigned himself to her rejection? His bright blue eyes were filled with confusion and longing, and it broke her heart to know she was the source of those emotions. She opened her mouth to offer an explanation—an excuse. But, before she could utter another word, he crushed her in a fervent kiss. It was rushed and clumsy as they attempted to find synchrony with one another. One hand wrapped around the small of her back as the other carefully cupped her head, his fingers played in her hair. Her palms rested against the firmness of his chest as he kissed her longingly.

Deeply.

Satisfyingly.

She eventually had to pull away for air, her face hot and her eyes glassy. It had been awhile since she had kissed anyone like that. No, she had _never _kissed anyone like that. The heat spreading through her body and the odd sensation in the pit of her stomach was overwhelming. She wanted more.

"Would you like to come in?" she breathed through partially opened lips, her eyes glistening as her hands snaked up to his shoulders.

"I would love to," he groaned, leaning down to inhale her scent. His breath was hot on her neck and she closed her eyes to better revel in the sensation. "You have no idea," he whispered ardently.

"Then it's settled," she smiled, reaching down to grab his hand.

He shook his head as he gently pushed her away by her shoulders, his expression pained. "No. I can't." She looked at him, hurt in her features. It nearly tore him apart to realize that he was the source of her dejection. He had waited far too long for this opportunity, and he wanted to savor it. "I want to do, Gods know that I want to, Kushina," he cupped her face in his hands, amazed at how well it fit. "But now that you've finally stopped running from me, I want to do this properly."

His expression softened as his smile grew—the most genuine one she had seen since his return. His eyes were bright and his cheeks pink. She swallowed the burning wanton desire in the pit of her stomach. Her legs felt weak at his touch and all she wanted was to feel his lips upon her. Anywhere.

"OK..?" she whispered, unsure of what he was proposing...

"Would you go out on a date with me, Uzumaki Kushina?" his eyes danced as he awaited her answer.

She smiled, recognizing his wishes. She would deny him his happiness no longer. Her happiness. "Of course, Namikaze. I'll even let you pick the restaurant."

"There is one condition," he watched her carefully, doing his best to hide his excitement.

"Hmm?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"No running out on me. You have to eat a complete meal in my presence. A real date," he explained as he attempted to reject her wandering hands until she agreed to his conditions.

"Deal, Namikaze," she smiled as she boldly pulled him into another kiss, rendering him utterly—and happily—speechless.

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**~OoOoO~**

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**Booyah! _Finally_, right? ^_^ **- I was pretty sure _Iloveme264 & Eriisu_ were plotting my death. Thanks to _Kushina98_ for pointing out an earlier error. Fixed!

**Just wanted to quickly mention something, as I like to explain my every thought process (most of you know this since I respond with such in my review replies). While I know Kakashi actually became a chuunin years before this story (at the age of 6-ish, I believe), I'm having him become one with his team. Why? Because it just better suits my story this way, because I can't see a 6-year-old Chuunin Kakashi, and because I do what I want ;) I debated on this for a while, and just decided against it for my own selfish reasons. I warned you all that my timeline was going to be a little off, and this is testimony to that.  
**

**Much appreciation to reviewers and readers. You are all still rockin'. Thank you _very _much :) You know the drill, **RxR**.  
**

**PS: Izumo and Kotetsu in the latest chapter? Love! They better be redeemed from their earlier fight!**


	35. Crumbling Walls

**A/N: this is very well the last chapter before I leave for my month abroad. I got two more chapters I hadn't expected on FF. Enjoy it and please leave me something! **RxR!

Much appreciation to everyone who is still sticking with me, no matter how you choose to do so. You all keep me writing. I'm going to do the old-fashioned way of writing when I leave (by hand), so I'll at least have some story to type up when I return. Happy Reading! ^_^

Disclaimer: Same as always.

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**~OoOoO~**

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Kushina paced her floor for the fortieth time that hour.

She peered through her blinds, recognizing that the sun had long ago left its noon position. She avoided the large mirror by her bed, not wanting to catch another glimpse of herself. Each time she did, she quickly found reason to be dissatisfied with her appearance. She had changed hairstyles numerous times, and had finally settled on leaving it down. She couldn't deny that something Minato had said months ago still lingered in the back of her mind. She would never admit it, but his encouragement had helped her to finally become comfortable with her hair. She always felt like the only true red-head in Konoha—though she really hadn't looked _that _hard. She had seen various shades of auburn and cinnamon, but those were mostly enhanced by store bought dyes. Whispers by the villagers told tales of a certain red-head's beauty, which had supposedly sparked the new trend. Kushina, however, was oblivious to such talk.

The kunoichi tsked in annoyance as she quickly tossed her previous outfits into her unruly closet with a firm slamming of the door. She glanced at her current attire, promising herself that another outfit change was not in order. She wasn't sure where they were going, and part of her cursed Minato for leaving her clueless despite her own lack of good sense to ask such important details. She opted for conservative, donning a knee-length deep blue wrap dress. She covered her shoulders with a pale yellow cardigan, which was currently hanging on the chair in her kitchen. She tugged at the spandex shorts she wore beneath the skirt, a quirk she had never shed since her genin days.

She grunted her dissatisfaction as she slumped onto her bed, kicking her flats off. She heard them hit the floor as she fell back, her arms spread out from her body. Why couldn't she slow her racing heart? She tried to calm herself, but she couldn't help thinking about the night before. She had barely slept, and now her eyelids were feeling very heavy. She watched the sunlight dance through her blinds, the gentle flickering on the ceiling lulling her into a comfortable state of calm. Soon, the only noise in her apartment was her gentle snoring.

A light rap on her door caused her to sit up with a start. She stared at the entrance to her apartment, rubbing her bleary eyes with the backs of her hands. She heard it again, this time louder and slightly more hurried.

"Comin'!" she grumbled, pushing herself to her feet and casting a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes grew wide as she caught sight of her hair, quickly licking her palm and smoothing the wayward strands. She whirled around, frantically looking for her shoes. She nearly tripped as she attempted to slide her feet into them and answer the door at the same time. She pulled the door open, the early evening sunlight spilling across her floor and face. She squinted against it, catching sight of his back as he faced away from her. He was wearing his usual long-sleeved shirt and pants. Nothing fancy. Her stomach sank as she realized she was grossly overdressed.

"Namikaze?" she grunted, her eyes still gritty with sleep.

"Hmm?" he quickly spun around, obviously caught off guard by her address. "Kushina!" His smile was broad, and she could see that his hair was somewhat less unruly than usual. She also noted the lack of wrinkles on his shirt.

"Did you iron your shirt?" she squinted into the sunlight.

"I—" He looked down, his mouth falling open as his cheeks turned pink. Maybe it was the sunlight, she couldn't be sure. After a few moments of being at a loss for words, he looked at her. This time, she was certain he was blushing. She did her best not to laugh at his endearing anxiety as his bright blue eyes flickered over her attire. As if he had just seen her for the first time, his eyes widened slightly. She suddenly felt self conscious.

"You look...erm...nice."

"Nice?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, doing her best to hide her shock and subsequent delight. She did not make a habit of going on dates with handsome young men, but she knew that telling a woman she looked _nice _was not much of a compliment. Her ears began to grow hot when he could barely tear his eyes from her. Maybe it _was _a compliment after all...

"H-Here!" he quickly pushed a bunch of..._something _toward her. She stepped back from the force at which he hurled the bouquet at her, her hands instinctively curling around the stems. She quickly drew a hand back as something sharp pierced her skin.

"Ouch!" she yelped as the blood beaded on the pad of her finger.

"Shit!" Minato's eyes grew round as his face became pale, "I'm sorry, Kushina!"

She smiled, sordidly amused by his discomfort. She hadn't ever seen this side of Namikaze Minato.

"It's fine! I should have known," she waved, shoving the fingertip in her mouth as she turned back into her apartment. "I'll just get a bandage. Come in!"

"OK," he breathed in relief as she waved him inside.

"Roses? You talking to that perverted Sage, huh?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder. His eyes were darting around her apartment as he shifted around uncomfortably.

"He...had some suggestions, you could say," Minato offered, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

"Don't share them with me, or you'll be bailing me out of jail after I murder him," she smiled as she disappeared into her bathroom, searching for bandages. She returned to the kitchen, finding Minato uneasily pacing. "Let me just cut the stems down and put them in water, and we can go."

He nodded, his expression revealing his anxiety. "Do you—are they acceptable?"

"Acceptable?" Kushina crinkled her nose. "I may not be conventional, but any woman likes flowers, Namikaze!" Relief seemed to wash over him as she quickly turned away and cut them. She smiled to herself. "So, in short: yes, they are acceptable. Thank you." Her shielded smile grew wider as she heard him loudly exhale.

"So...where we goin'?" she asked over her shoulder as she reached for the vase under her sink. The small talk kept her anxiety at bay. She quickly filled the vessel with water, carefully arranging the apricot colored roses in the glass container. When he didn't reply, her fingers hesitated on the tiny buds.

"Yo, Minato?"

"I, er, wanted to keep that...a surprise," he answered casually, his eyes tearing away from the pictures she had littering her wall. His hands were shoved in his pockets.

"I don't like surprises," she told him in as serious a tone as she could muster. She was enjoying seeing Minato uncomfortable like this, a realization that made her feel slightly guilty.

"Well, then, we could cancel this date until I can figure out something more suitable," he offered, his former anxiety erased.

She narrowed her eyes, cursing him at ruining her fun. He was intentionally toying with her, ruthless man! She decided that she didn't want to play games; she'd let him win, for now. "Nah, that's alright, I suppose. I trust you."

His eyes grew round, though it was brief. He smiled, mussing his hair with his hand, "Well, good, I hope that I don't disappoint. It's a lot of pressure, you know?"

"What?" she replied, leaning back on the counter, the hem of her dress exposing the bottoms of her shorts. His eyes flickered over them and he chuckled to himself.

"I don't want...you to run again," he pointed out, his voice changing as his eyes relayed his sincerity.

Kushina could feel her face redden as she whirled around, going back to arranging roses. "Well, if you say so. I guess I'll let you lead this escapade, then." She wiped her hands, her eyes searching for her cardigan. She quickly slipped her arms into the sweater before she reached for her purse.

"Leave it," he interrupted, nodding toward her wallet as he easily leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "You won't need it."

"You sure?" she warily asked, her fingers hovering over the object.

He nodded. "I told you, it's a real date, Kushina."

"OK..." she whispered as he quickly walked toward her open door. The light spilled over his frame as he stood on the threshold of her apartment.

He turned back toward her, a shadow cast over half of his face. She followed him, hesitating when he paused in her doorway. He reached out a hand, opening it and beckoning for her. His eyes flickered down to her shoes as she tentatively studied his hand. She chewed her lower lip stretching out her own, smaller hand, and allowing it to rest on his palm.

"You are wearing comfortable shoes?" he softly asked.

"Huh?" she looked up at him, his fingers quickly and gently closing around her hand as he pulled her toward him, shutting the door behind them. In a quick flicker of moment, he tugged her with him as he leaped from the railing. Kushina quickly caught on, her feet easily matching his stride as she ran next to him.

"I don't recall running being part of a date, Namikaze," she called out to him excited by the unknown adventure he was leading,.

"It's not far," he told her, his eyes ahead as his fingers squeezed hers.

She could feel the slickness of his palm against hers, and she smiled. She said nothing, her eyes darting to his face from time to time as they ran at a relaxed pace. Finally, he gestured to her and they stopped as the reached the top of a gently sloping hill on the outskirts of the village. They wordlessly walked to the top of the hill, where a few scattered trees blocked their view of the area beyond. She could see the top of the setting sun as it sank on the other side of the trees. The cast shadows gave her a slight chill

"And here we are," he smiled, waving as they followed the slightly beaten path through the foliage.

Kushina gasped as she saw what Minato was indicating. The hill allowed for a beautiful view of the southern part of Konoha—a part that was known for its more-expensive housing and small lakes. Far off in the distance were the bluffs that nestled in the village, which was now glowing deep orange in the setting sunlight. A few wisps of pale blue clouds painted the sky.

It was the same place he had originally confessed his thoughts and feelings to her. An overwhelming nostalgia took over her, and she did her best to suppress the tears pricking her eyes. She had never been emotional, but this was enough to evoke that part of her.

"It's gorgeous," she whispered, stunned by the view.

"Funny," he smirked, "I didn't think that my meager attempt at romance would elicit that response."

"Huh?" she looked at him, her eyes following his gaze. In the not-too-far-off distance sat a small blanket on the grass. In the middle was a plump basket, undoubtedly filled with food. She smiled knowingly, "Well...it really doesn't take much, I suppose."

Minato grinned, his hand pulling free from hers as he gestured, "Come on, I'm starving!"

She felt oddly dissatisfied by the loss of body contact. She pushed the feelings aside, reveling at his effort. He quickly sat, cross-legged on the blanket, pulling the basket open and peering inside. Kushina gently settled on her knees, doing her best to look prim and proper. The maneuver proved to be uncomfortable, and she opted to mimic his seated position, glad that she wore shorts.

"Whatcha got?" she asked, her stomach growling its desire for sustenance.

"Well, I realized that I really had no idea what you liked," he looked slightly ashamed as his hand disappeared inside the basket, "besides ramen, that is."

"Is there anything else?" Kushina joked, her eyes growing wide as she recognized the familiar take-out boxes he was removing from the wicker container.

"So," he continued, handing her a container, "I caved."

"Holy hell, Namikaze! It's still warm!" Kushina was in awe as she quickly tore the top off the box. The smell was overwhelmingly delicious, and she quickly began shoveling food in her mouth with her chopsticks, "I think I love you, you have no idea!" She was too engrossed in her meal to notice his shocked response. After a few moments, she looked up, blushing at her gluttonous behavior, "Shorry. Yoush gonna eash?"

He quickly recovered, his hands trembling slightly as he held his own sticks. He offered a lopsided grin, "So you approve?"

"Yes!" she laughed, slurping her noodles.

"Good," he watched her as he, too, began eating, though with more care and discretion than she had.

Soon, there were seven empty boxes in front of them, five of which where Kushina's. She patted her painfully bloated stomach, doing her best to repress an especially loud belch as they watched the settling sun. The sky was growing dark, and the crickets were announcing their presence in the form of an eerily beautiful melody. Kushina enjoyed a few sweet cakes, reveling in how much of an effort Minato had gone through for this moment. She chewed thoughtfully after once again reassuring the nervous blonde that she was fully content with his choice of a meal.

"Drink?" he asked, his voice soft as he gently waved the dark bottle in the air.

"Oooh, you trying to booze me up, Namikaze?" she teased. They had spent nearly an hour together and had barely said anything.

His face grew crimson and he lowered the bottle, clearing his throat, "I, uh, can assure you that is not my intention." His eyes darted anywhere but her face, "When I bought the cakes, the shopkeeper recommended this wine; she said it complements it. I was grateful for her help, so I bought it—"

Kushina waved her hands, instantly regretting her words, "I'm sorry, I was joking! Relax!" She reached out for the bottle, her hand expertly removing the cork with a quick pulse of chakra. She handed it back to him, "Pour me some! I could use a break!"

He nodded, quickly pulling two glasses from the basket. He handed her a half-filled glass of soft yellow drink.

"Thank you," she murmured, holding the glass to her lips. She could smell the slightly sweet aroma of grapes. She sipped the wine, feelings its warmth spreading through her.

"So...you're not afraid that I have a very powerful demon sealed inside of me?" she asked, casting him a questioning look. He stared ahead, blinking slowly as he carefully chose his words.

"I had adamantly been against keeping the Nine-Tails, I won't deny it," he replied honestly. "A point which the Hokage disagreed. We see who won that argument."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He hadn't been the only one against sealing the kyuubi inside of Kushina. In fact, Minato was almost positive that Ken was going to voice his opposition _during_ the transition between hosts—as he had been the only one brave enough to step forward when Kushina requested to see their faces. The blonde had been impressed by Ken's concern for his childhood friend, though he had not thought Ken a good choice as one of those present for the Nine-Tails' extraction. Hiruzen had argued that it was important to allow those closest to the container participate, as they had a way of calming an irritated host. Minato had conceded, knowing the kage to be correct in his rationale.

"You didn't think I could handle it?" She felt a gnawing in the pit of her stomach.

"It's not that," Minato explained, "it's a risk for not only the village, but also the jinchuuriki. What would happen if someone were to learn of your identity? If they came for you?"

Kushina nodded, soothed by his words and giddy at his protectiveness. Despite her disappointment, she understood what he was sharing. "I get it. Lots of people would die. I feel bad enough for that thought. But," she stared into her glass, swirling the golden liquid, "I won't let that happen! Not on my watch! Believe it!"

Minato smiled softly, "I do. I think that you are more than capable. The Uzumaki Clan is a gifted one, and you are one of the strongest kunoichi—"

"_The _strongest kunoichi. Get it right, Namikaze!" she corrected him.

He cleared his throat, his cheeks pink, "Yes, that, too. I think your abilities are suited for this. And...perhaps with others learning how to help you..."

"What's that mean?" Kushina turned to look at him.

"It means," he stared at her, not blinking as he carefully spoke, "That if you would be willing to teach, er, me...I could help."

"Teach you?" she echoed. "Shit, Namikaze Minato needs someone's _help_?"

He avoided her gaze, his expression somber, "We all have weaknesses. I am not good at fuinjutsu, I'll admit it."

Kushina chewed her bottom lip, understanding what he was relaying, "Yeah, I guess I kinda suck at most things, so you're right."

"You really should give yourself more credit for your abilities, Kushina," he urged her.

She avoided his stare as she sipped her wine, "And you should really beg for me to help you learn my clan's techniques, yes?" The warm alcohol was making her more playful. "What do you think?"

"I think not," his expression was unimpressed, despite the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Please? The Great Namikaze begging me for help? Life couldn't be much better."

He chuckled as he took a slow sip of his beverage, his expression growing more serious, "You had called yourself a monster at one point, you don't really believe that, do you?"

Kushina studied him as she pondered his question. She licked her lips, "I did. I thought I was going to have this monster inside of me—being a huge risk to those all around me. I thought I was doomed to be feared. But..." She inhaled slowly, closing her eyes and listening to the crickets sing. "Mito taught me that it doesn't have to be that way."

"No...it doesn't..." he whispered, a far away look in his eyes.

She sat there, staring at the silently floating clouds with their golden linings. They fell into a comfortable silence for some time. She wasn't sure for how long, but they watched the lazily setting sun as while enjoying the remnants of Minato's delicately planned dinner.

"Nice view," she nodded, setting the glass beside her. She could feel his eyes on her, but she did not meet his gaze. She was surprised at how calm she felt around him, despite her earlier agitation. "I can't believe you went through all the trouble for this."

"No trouble," he replied, moving so that he was seated beside her. He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes ahead as well. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. The sunlight spilled across his face, revealing a contemplative expression.

"Yeah, well, you had to get all of this here _and_ convince me to follow you. That _is_ trouble, in my book," she smiled. He glanced at her and she quickly took another drink of the sweet dessert wine.

"I wanted to," he softly replied, turning toward her. She felt her face redden under the intensity of his gaze.

Kushina smiled, "I've never been much for dating, so, er, this is new territory. But, I can see how much of an effort you went through for this...for me. I won't deny that you've managed to impress me." She continued to stare ahead, refusing to meet his bewildered gaze, "So, I guess I won't regret saying yes to you."

She could feel her face grow hot, but she was unsure if it was from his gaze, the wine, or the dwindling sunlight. A soft purple sky spread above them, the darkness of night quickly following. A sliver of sun was the only visible light above the crags of the bluff, and she was grateful that her blush would be hidden from him. She couldn't' describe her sudden inability for witty retorts and snarkiness. All she felt was an overwhelming ease.

"Kushina?" she heard him clear his throat, his voice wavering slightly.

"Hmmm?" she replied, her mind wandering.

"Can I kiss you?"

Her eyes flickered open at the boldness behind his words. She glanced at his glass; he hadn't had enough wine to blame his inquiry on liquid courage. They had kissed before, so why was she still so giddy when he looked at her like that? Why did she react so strongly purely from the idea of kissing him? His gaze was serious as he awaited her response. She licked her lips, nodding her head; she didn't trust herself to speak. He smiled slightly as he leaned toward her, hesitating as he drew closer. She watched him move in, afraid to move in case it woke her up from her dream. Years of denial had brought her here, and she felt she didn't deserve such happiness—if that was what it was called.

He was gentle and tentative, and she reveled in his experience. Her former insecurity at being naïve quickly wore off and she became more sure as she returned his kiss. His hands brushed her skin and she rested one hand on his chest, the other on his shoulder as she leaned into him. He pulled her closer to him so that she was nearly in his lap. She wasn't sure how long they had been kissing, as it felt like she had lost track of all time. His hands roamed over her back, up her neck, into her hair. She squeezed his shoulder, and he gently pushed her back onto the blanket, their bodies next to one another as he propped himself up on his elbow. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he ran his hands along her arms. Fingertips explored hair, caresses drew across flesh, and clothes wrinkled from friction.

Her body was growing hot as the intensity of his kiss grew. His lips wandered from her mouth to her neck, softly tracing over the creamy skin from her collarbone to her earlobe. She suppressed a childish giggle as he explored her neck, his lips eventually returning to hers. She was in complete awe that he was able to elicit such feelings, a strange heat pooling in her stomach and causing her muscles to tense. She had never felt this electrified. Minato's hands caressed he face, his thumbs tracing her jawline. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his chest. Her fingernails dug into the thick fabric of his shirt, and she could feel his breathing change as her hands drew lower. Her fingers hooked under his shirt, her nails raking his skin. He squirmed under her touch, his shirt rising higher as her hands explored the warmth of his flesh. His own hand pushed her sweater from her shoulder, his lips exploring more of her. Her breathing deepened, and her kisses became more arduous when his lips returned to hers.

She bit his lip when someone cleared their throat nearby, their heads crashing together in surprise. Minato sat up, tugging his shirt down. Kushina followed, pulling her cardigan over her shoulder as she smoothed her hair. She spotted an ANBU a few meters from them, facing away from the passionate couple.

"Yes?" Minato called out, his voice husky as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Namikaze-san, the Lord Hokage would like your counsel," the man replied. Kushina recognized Shikaku's voice. She inwardly cringed in embarrassment.

"Can it wait?" he asked, his voice nearly pleading as he glanced at Kushina. In the moonlight, he could see her flushed cheeks. She gestured toward his bleeding lip, her eyes wide with humiliation. He wiped at it, softly snorting in amusement as she buried her face in her hands.

"I wish I could tell you yes, but it cannot," Shikaku answered. "He requests your immediate presence. I will, however, take my time returning so that he thinks it has taken me longer to find you."

Minato smiled his understanding, "Thank you."

"You have ten minutes, Namikaze," the ANBU told him before disappearing. The two lovers sat there for some time, catching their breaths.

"Well, that was awkward," Kushina sighed her embarassment.

"I'm so sorry," Minato told her, his face betraying his thoughts. He looked upset that the night had to be cut short. His bottom lip was slightly swollen. "Wait for me?"

"Sure," she shrugged, looking away to hide her flushed face, "I canceled all my other dates for tonight. Got nothing else to do."

"That's my girl," he smiled, gently pulling her face toward his with a forefinger. She nearly whimpered when he broke the kiss, leaping to his feet.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, I can't imagine he wants anything that will take too long," Minato nodded. "Please. Wait."

"I'll be here," she laughed, hiding her disappointment. "Just go. See what he wants, he _is_ the Hokage."

"Thank you," he whispered before disappearing. Kushina stared after him, doing her best not to get upset at the situation. They were shinobi; it was the lifestyle. She sighed her frustration, looking around and finding what she was seeking. She picked up the nearly full bottle, glancing at her own empty glass.

_If he's going to run off, I might as well have good time_, she thought to herself as she raised the bottle to her lips, taking a long drink to pass the time more quickly.

* * *

"You want me to leave _tonight_?" Minato asked, doing his best to hide his disappointment.

"I understand what I'm asking of you. Considering," the Hokage glanced at Jiraiya and raising an eyebrow. The swollen lip hadn't been missed by either men. "I've been informed that you had a social event tonight."

Minato grimaced, "Jiraiya appears to lack discretion." He shot an icy blue glare toward the sannin.

"What? Me?" Jiraiya feigned innocence, even going so far as to look offended by Minato's accusation.

Minato sighed as Hiruzen continued, "I have dispatched Ken and his squad northwest, into Kusagakure. There have been rumors of shipments through there, mostly to fund the frequent fights between Suna and Iwa. Sunagakure is not ceasing in their destructive search for their missing Kazekage."

Minato had recently returned from Kusagakure, but he had not been aware of the supply shipments floating through the country. "Are we going to promise aid to Kusagakure? Their genin had just participated in our exams."

"I wish to remain neutral," Hiruzen carefully responded, "But if the violence continues, then we may have to protect our allies. Iwa remains one of the strongest military strongholds in the world. I hope that the Tsuchikage upholds the treaty we establish from the last war."

Minato bowed his head, "You would like me to go as reinforcement? A three-man squad?"

"Not exactly," the kage hesitated, glancing at his former pupil, "I want you to go southwest. To Amegakure."

"Ame? Why?" Blue eyes questioned the Hokage.

"There has been mention of a group of vigilantes. The call themselves Akatsuki, or so my informants tell me." Minato caught the stiffening of Jiraiya's posture from the corner of his eye. His attention remained on the elder Sarutobi as the man continued, "But, more importantly, is the attention this group has attracted."

The jonin narrowed his eyes in understanding, "I have heard murmurs of Hanzo of the Salamander and his forces south of us. There has been rumbling for some time. You think he is leading forces into Amegakure?"

The Hokage nodded, "I have reason to suspect he has aid..." Hiruzen's voice lowered, "In the utmost confidence?" Jiraiya and Minato glanced at one another, both signaling their agreement. The kage nodded cautiously, "I'm afraid my former colleague, Danzo, is in cohorts with Hanzo."

"Danzo?" Minato choked. "Surely you are joking!"

"I've always told you, Sensei, that he was no good," Jiraiya replied, his arms crossed over his chest, "Seems I was right."

"Perhaps," Hiruzen admitted. "And perhaps I am misinformed. But, regardless, there is a new faction within Konoha ranks, and I think Danzo is responsible for that."

"His own leadership within Konoha? You think he's planning to oust you?" Minato's eyes were wide. He barely knew the man, but he had always been wary of Shimura Danzo. The man struck Minato as cold and calculating, holding a deep-seated devotion to Konoha. That loyalty bordered on an obsession.

"I can't be sure," Hiruzen conceded, "But he has to do better than that to get rid of me!"

"He's always been jealous of you, no? Since the Second appointed you?" Jiraiya pressed.

"He has, yes," the kage recounted, "He had always considered himself my rival, of sorts." His lips pressed together in dissatisfaction, "But it has always been one-sided. I don't think...despite his loyalty... he's not suited to be Hokage. His heart may be in the right place, but his mind is definitely not."

"You've been letting him create his own militia?" Jiraiya's eyes were narrowed. "You're giving him too much room to wiggle, Hiruzen."

Minato knew it was a rare occasion when the Toad Sage addressed his former sensei by his first name. The kage looked at his pupil, his expression somber. "Perhaps I still feel guilty taking something from him. Then there was the death of his fiancee..." his eyes grew soft. "I don't think much will ever become of it. Yamanaka Inoichi is aware of his Clan's involvement, and is keeping parameters on them without evoking suspicion. I will be the first to know if Danzo's plans change."

"But you are not sure, Hokage-sama?" Minato queried, pacing around the large office. The office that would be his one day. He disliked all the politics behind being Hokage.

"That I am not, which is why I'm asking you and Jiraiya to scout the country for me. To see what has become of Hanzo's invasion and Danzo's involvement, if any. What we know is that he has temporarily left the village with a handful of ANBU. His reasons are unknown."

"He probably struck a bargain with Hanzo. He hopes to usurp you," Minato bitterly replied. "I'll have to keep my eye on that one."

"We could eliminate him for you," Jiraiya offered, somewhat hopeful.

"That would be ill advic=sed. The Council will have your head, fools! They have faith in him. I'll bide my time and reveal Danzo's schemes when it's right. For now, just bring me information."

"There is a war coming?" Minato paused in his pacing, a frown marring his features.

Hiruzen sighed, slowly seating himself in his chair as his fingers steepled under his chin, "I would be lying if I didn't suspect that, in the very near future, we will be once again in the throes of something."

Minato chewed his lip, and closed his eyes. That was not what he wanted to hear. It would mean danger for Kushina. Danger of the Nine-Tails falling into the wrong hands...

"Don't worry, Minato-san," Jiraiya clapped his student on the shoulder, "Until then, you can do all the baby-making you want."

* * *

_Please be there! _Minato inwardly hoped as he sped toward the bluff. _She is going to kill me_!

His feet quietly hit the soft earth, and he quickly strode to the site he had chosen for their dinner. He had originally wanted to take Kushina to a restaurant. It had actually been Rin who had suggested the change of plans to him, and he was quite impressed with her astuteness. In fact, he was becoming convinced that she was a prodigy in her own right. Minato held his breath as he approached, opting to quickly dispel the tension.

"Kushina, I'm sorry—" he started to rationalize, immediately cut off by the soft snoring.

Kushina was sprawled in an unladylike fashion on the blanket, an empty bottle of wine in her hand. Her hair was strewn in every direction, her mouth hanging open. If it hadn't been for her shorts, Minato was positive he would have had quite a view of her underwear. He stood there for a few minutes, smiling to himself as he watched her mouth open and close with each breath. She mewed in her sleep, rolling over on her side and curling up like a small cat. The bottle rolled away, and he caught it with his boot.

"I suppose the night ended a little early," he whispered, chuckling to himself as his eyes drank in her slumbering form.

He quickly scooped her up in his arms; he'd come back to clean up at a later hour. Kushina mumbled something incoherent as he carried her. He didn't run to her apartment. Instead, he walked, cherishing the feel of her against his chest, breathing and alive this time. There was no fear for her life. He could take his time, and so he would. He opened the door of her apartment with one hand, gently shutting it behind him as he carried Kushina toward her bed. He gingerly laid her under her covers, tucking her in and listening to her slur her words with sleepiness. He sat on her bed for some time, his fingers petting her hair. He smiled, the sudden urge to crawl into bed beside her becoming overwhelming. He wondered what it would feel like to wake up with her in his arms. He pushed his urges away.

"I'm sorry, Kushina," he murmured. Perhaps she would remember some of what he told her in the morning, "But I have to go. Wait for me to return, I shouldn't be long, though the news I will bring won't be good, I fear."

She mumbled something, her eyes closed as she rolled onto her stomach. He softly laughed as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Thanksh," she mumbled into the pillow.

"Anytime," he whispered, straightening and casting one last glance at her before he purposely locked himself out of her apartment.

* * *

Kushina quickly snapped upright at the loud banging on her front door. She rubbed her head, moaning as it pounded obnoxiously. She shielded her eyes, quickly drawing the blinds behind her. Her mouth tasted horrible, and her neck was sore from sleeping at an awkward angle.

"Minato?" she quickly drawled, looking around in confusion. How had she gotten into her bed? She peeked under the covers, relieved to find her clothes on.

"Kushina! Open the door, NOW!" came the hiss from outside her door.

"Hang on!" she yelled, looking around for something—anything—that would explain how she was placed back into her own bed. When she found nothing, she began to panic, "Shit."

She could remember drinking the wine and talking to herself on the bluffs. Then she laid on her back, to stare at the stars...

"I passed out?" she whined. "Great, he probably thinks I'm an alcoholic," she mumbled to herself.

"NOW, Uzumaki, or I'll break it down!" Tsume warned from outside, her voice a low snarl.

"Coming!" Kushina threw off her covers, realizing she was _completely _dressed. "Silly boy," she tsked. _Didn't take my shoes off! _

She achingly walked to the door, and was nearly knocked backward as Tsume flung it open, stalking inside. The dog-nin paced around Kushina's apartment, Kuromaru slinking in behind the Inuzuka kunoichi and sitting patiently in the kitchen. The large canine watched the scene with a knowing look—or what Kushina considered one would look like coming from a dog...

"What's wrong?" Kushina croaked, her mouth very dry. She filled a glass with water.

"Bad news. Very, very bad news," Tsume kept pacing, her expression contorted in a mixture of fear, anxiety, and anger. "Horrible shit. Worst, ever!"

"Just spit it out, it can't be that bad," Kushina soothed, taking a slow sip of the cool water. Her throat burned and her head ached.

"Oh, fucking yeah?" Tsume growled, turning to look at Kushina. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. That, alone, made Kushina's heart stop.

"What is it?" she whispered, her dark blue eyes widening.

Tsume covered her mouth, running to the garbage can and retching. Kuromaru whined, his tail thumping on the floor as he lowered his head on his paws. Tsume kept retching, watery vomitus emptying from her mouth with each heave.

"You want the good news?" Tsume croaked when the episode had passed. She straightened, wiping her mouth. "I'm pregnant."


	36. Grown Up Things

**A/N: Yes, I'm alive. Barely ;) I do have minimal access, so I was able to post this short(er) chapter, so my apologies. Thank you for following my story and encouraging me, always. Happy Reading, folks! Please review!**

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**~OoOoO~**

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"Huh?" Kushina gasped, her mouth falling open. She didn't feel the glass slip from her hand. Didn't hear it shatter on her floor. Didn't see the light sparkle on the broken shards.

Tsume stared at her, canine eyes tortured and begging as she used her forearm to wipe her mouth. As quickly as the emotions had clouded her expression, they slipped away, the usual hardened kunoichi staring back at Kushina. Kuromaru gently whined his agreement as he nestled his head between his paws.

"You heard me right," Tsume finally sighed her resignation as she leaned unsteadily against the wall. She eyed the garbage can as if she were considering a second round. "I'm. Knocked. Up."

"You? _Pregnant_?" Kushina whispered, her eyes darting to Tsume's abdomen almost instinctively. Surely this was some kind of joke. The image of the wild-haired kunoichi drinking water at the bar suddenly flashed into the forefront of Kushina's mind. An overprotective Kuromaru. Tsume's carefully guarded words, overflowing with meaning—all of which Kushina failed to detect. How had she not known her closest friend was _this _troubled?

"Yup, there's a fetus in my uterus," the dog-nin pointed to her belly. Her lips twisted into an ironic smile. "I'm fucked."

"B-But...how?" Kushina's voice was hoarse, her eyes darting to Tsume's face and searching for any hint that this was all a horrible joke. Tsume pregnant? With a child? When she received no confirmation, Kushina realized that her friend was indeed telling the truth. The Inuzuka Clan would expand by one more.

"You really need me to explain that to you, Uzumaki? " she grunted, an eyebrow raised as she addressed the red-head's previous question.

The color flooded to Kushina's face. "Of course not! I know _that!_" she snapped.

"Do you really?" Tsume's eyes narrowed as she mocked Kushina's innocence. "Do you know how babies are made, Kushina?"

"I do!" Deep blue eyes were wide with shock as their conversation hovered on becoming scandalous.

"Hmmph," the dark-haired woman stared at her hands, her playfulness disappearing. After a moment, her lips parted. "Imagine _my_ surprise, then."

"What are you going to do?" Kushina whispered after a few seconds of discontented silence. The question wasn't meant to be rhetorical, as she was genuinely uncertain of Tsume's intentions with her apparent pregnancy. It happened more than enough: a kunoichi returning from an assignment with details on her lips and a child in her womb. Quite often, the women sought medical expertise to remedy the problem, so to speak. Konoha's population did not rise as quickly as one would expect, given those circumstances.

"I dunno," Tsume stared out Kushina's window, her expression softening as desperation shone on her face. "I really...don't know."

"Did you...tell him?" Kushina wondered aloud, considering the baby's father. She knew there was a regular male in Tsume's life, though the Inuzuka heiress never really spoke about him or brought him around to meet her friends. It wasn't Tsume's "thing", as she would retort when Kushina would mention it. She was the alpha...female.

"Not yet." She blinked, her eyes gradually becoming unfocused. A grim smile spread across her lips. "He's on a mission. Figured it can wait until he gets back. If I decide to keep it, that is."

"I see," Kushina murmured, realizing her friend had not yet come to a decision. It was a sign of maturity for Tsume to not have so impetuously jumped to a conclusion regarding the matter. "What do—what do you think he'll say?"

"Say?" Tsume repeated, blinking away the fog she had submerged herself in, "Knowing him, he'll want to marry me—make an honest woman out of me or some shit like that."

"What?" the red-head raised her eyebrows in surprise. Was the dog-nin serious?

Tsume sighed, her eyes flickering over Kushina's face. Her usual ferocity had resigned itself to the situation-at-hand. "He's a decent guy, let's face it. He's the only guy I haven't managed to scare away. He's talked about family and long-term relationship crap with me before, but I've always just blown it off. It's not me."

"Just like you," Kushina crossed her arms over her chest, smirking knowingly. "You give me advice, yet you do the exact opposite of what you preach."

"Don't give me that damned motherly look, Uzumaki I'll smack it off your face," Tsume growled, a sharp incisor baring itself, despite the lack of certainty in her voice, "I'm just sayin' that I don't think he'll be disappointed in this sort of news. In fact...I think he'll be...excited." She pulled a face as she spat the foreign words; Kushina barely repressed the snort that had threatened to reveal itself. Tsume was almost endearing in this state.

"So..." Tsume whispered, biting at her nails, nervously. It was something Kushina rarely saw the kunoichi do, and she knew that it only happened with the dog-nin was really bothered by something. "I made an appointment."

"Appointment?" Kushina cocked her head, still not moving from her position against the counter. She spied the broken glass and nudged a piece with her toe. Kuromaru watched her intently—as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing as well.

"Yeah, you know..." Tsume avoided Kushina's inquiring gaze as she continued to devour her nails, "With the doctor. I thought I'd go listen to my options or some shit."

"Sounds nice." Kushina treaded carefully, afraid that she would easily pursuade the disheveled kunoichi otherwise.

"Sounds like something a real woman would do, don't lie to me, Uzumaki." The tip of a pink tongue protruded from between her teeth.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Kushina smiled encouragingly, "It's a smart thing to do."

She could tell something was still agitating the dog-nin, and she watched the woman carefully. Tsume fumbled with her hands, staring at the floor, "Erm...and there's something else." This time, both Tsume and Kuromaru were watching Kushina expectantly, "I was wondering...wouldyoucomewithme?"

Kushina gasped in realization of Tsume's words, leaping over the shattered glass and pulling the pregnant woman into a hug. "I'd be...honored."

The dark-haired kunoichi chuckled softly, allowing Kushina another moment of embrace before pushing her way. "Don't get all mushy on me—are you _crying_? Are those tears?"

Kushina sniffled, "Shut up. I'm so happy for you!"

Tsume shook her head in disbelief, relief on her face as her former playfulness returned, "I figured you could be my plus one...until I figure out what I want to do."

"Of course." It was her decision, after all, Kushina knew.

"Thank you," Tsume whispered, a rare, serious moment from the Inuzuka heiress. "Really."

"What are friends for?" Kushina's smile was one of happiness, broad and dazzling. "That'll make you and Mikoto."

"Huh?" Tsume crinkled her nose in distaste.

"My friends that are going to have babies. Maybe you can ask her for advice-" Kushina's gaze slid out of focus as she clapped her hands. The sudden excitement she was displaying terrified Tsume.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Uzumaki. I don't need to ask that bitch anything."

"Be nice! I happen to like her very much."

"I _was_ being nice."

"Oh."

Tsume sighed as Kushina's expression turned to one of disapproval. "Maybe it's all these hormones, I dunno," she gestured toward her stomach, "but i'm feeling extra cranky lately."

"That's normal for you."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," she scratched her head, yawning loudly.

"How far along?"

"'Scuse me?"

"How far along do you think you are?" Kushina glanced at her abdomen again. She truly couldn't see any difference in size.

"i dunno, four months, tops."

"You can't tell," Kushina whistled, leaning down for closer inspection.

"Thanks!" Tsume smiled, scratching her unruly nest of hair.

"No wonder you were drinking water," Kushina shook her head softly, her eyes smiling. "And why Kuromaru has been acting like a henmother."

"Yeah," Tsume looked away, her cheeks pink, "he seems more excited about it than I am. Freakin' baby, that one."

Kuromaru's ear twitched and he raised his eyes in realization that he was being discussed. Kushina watched him thoughtfully, her mouth opening to say something. A knock at the door interrupted her comment as she glanced at her friend. Tsume's brow raised with interest, and Kushina shrugged her silent uncertainty. She tiptoed through the glass, throwing the nearby broom at Tsume, who easily caught it in her right hand.

"Clean up, will ya?"

"Yeah, sure, make the pregnant woman do your housework."

"Never killed anyone," Kushina smiled as she pulled the door open. Her eyes fell to the mousy girl in her doorway. "Rin?"

"Um, er, hi, Uzumaki-san," the girl bowed, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Please, call me Kushina. No need to be formal." Kushina urged her as the girl snapped upright. She felt a slight affection toward Rin, most likely due to the hours she spent training Team Minato. "By the way, I wanted to commend you on your first fight in the Third Round."

"Oh," Rin's eyes widened as her cheeks flushed. She didn't look the least bit disappointed that Kakashi was the only genin from Konoha promoted to Chuunin status. "T-Thank you, Kushina-san."

"Now that second fight, I will _not _make mention of," Kushina's eyes flashed mischievously as Rin's face grew more pink. She cleared her throat as she noticed Tsume peering over her shoulder at the girl. She locked eyes with her friend, who feigned disinterest as she continued to sweep the floor. Deep blue eyes focused on Rin's face. "Did you need something, Rin?"

"I...Minato-sensei wanted me to deliver a message to you," the girl looked at her feet, the purple paint crinkling on her cheeks as she scrunched her nose with the memory of her teacher's words.

"He did?" Kushina tried to step away from prying ears, but Tsume was too quick. She appeared behind Kushina once again, this time propping the door open with her elbow. She raised both of her eyebrows in expectation as she, too, awaited Minato's message. Kushina did her best to hide her creeping blush.

Rin's eyes darted from Kushina to Tsume before falling to the ground once again. "He...er..."

"Go on," Tsume prompted, practically leering as her words dripped with a sweetness that Kushina knew was purely for show. The red-head closed her eyes in anticipation.

Rin's mouth popped open and the air quickly rushed between her lips as she robotically repeated the message: "He wanted me to tell you that he was assigned to an urgent mission, and he is not sure how long he will be gone. He said to tell you he was sorry and that he had a good night!"

She bent forward in a sudden bow before quickly retreating. As she scurried away, she cast one last glance over her shoulder, her eyes widening as Tsume jutted her head out the doorway to watch her with interest. Kushina waved and quickly pushed her friend back into her apartment, her mind reeling with an excuse with which to feed the dog-nin. She shut the door, her eyes once again clamped shut as she awaited what was to come.

After a few moments, nothing was spoken, and Kushina dared to hope that nothing would be said. She slowly turned, finding Tsume leaning on the broom, both her and Kuromaru sharing the same, amused look.

"What?" Kushina's cheeks were burning as she knew she had no way out of the forthcoming interrogation.

"Nothin'," Tsume shook her head slowly. Deliberately. She glanced at Kuromaru, "Whaddya think, Kuro? Does she or doesn't she have some explainin' to do?"

* * *

Kushina sighed as she tightly packed the last of her supplies into her bag. It was only a one-week assignment, but she had grown accustomed to not having to travel. It was the packing that she hated the most, followed closely by the unpacking. Still, she was slowly regaining some of her pre-kyuubi freedom. Hiruzen had asked her to take a group of genin up north, to help dig a well to provide means of drinking water to a small village for a meager fee. Kushina couldn't deny that she missed the surge of adrenaline from her more vigorous missions but she understood the Hokage's caution. Besides, she found that, more and more, she was liking the idea of having her own team to train. Her short time with Minato's team had brought that out in her.

_Minato. _

It had been nearly a month since she saw him last, following their chaotic and embarassing first date. She smiled as she recalled his geniuine discomfort around her, and she fondly recalled the blanket spread on the bluff overlooking Konoha. She silently hoped that his mission was going well, though she didn't expect otherwise from him. Hiruzen dropped a few hints here and there, without so much as an ounce of instigation on Kushina's part. She had an idea that he had left with Jiraiya for Amegakure, though the details were spared. She had a gnawing feeling that insurgents were becoming more numerous, and the whispers of war held some truth. Still, she was appreciative of the Hokage's subtle mentions of the blonde jonin, despite his motives. No one else seemed to have a clue about the goings on between her and Minato. It was evident that Shikaku—bless his heart—had not said a word to anyone (or her) about what he witnessed that night. She cherished him all the more for it, making a mental note to pay him back for his faithfulness. She would put in a few good words with Yoshino—who was much more pleasant toward the Nara heir, lately. Could love be blossoming there as well? What was becoming of their class?

_Four weeks._

Four long weeks since she had seen him. It seemed like torture, but she reminded herself that this was the life she had sworn herself to—and one Minato cherished as well. He would be Hokage some day, and his duties would only grow. Kushina wondered if she would be by his side...

She slapped herself in the face, silently berating herself for such childish meandering. "Next thing you know, you'll be wondering about having babies, too..." she mumbled to herself as she pulled the drawstring of her bag.

She smiled as she recalled Tsume's visit with the doctor. They had run into Mikoto leaving with a tiny black-haired bundle swathed in her arms. The new wife and mother had smiled warmly at them, her eyes unjudging as Tsume mumbled some excuse regarding her reason for her appointment. Kushina said nothing as Mikoto put a gentle hand on Tsume's arm.

"Feel better," the Uchiha clanswoman smiled. She offered nothing more as the infant in her arms—Itachi, as Kushina recalled him being named—began to fuss. Mikoto adjusted the blanket, her smile genuine. "It's feeding time. Nice seeing you both. Do stop by and see me sometime. I miss having company. You, too, Tsume, you are welcome any time, of course."

Tsume seemed taken aback by the kind offer, her mouth hanging open as Mikoto walked away. Kushina smirked, "Bitch?"

"I'll take some of it back." Tsume muttered as she spun around and entered the office. "Some."

The office visit had gone well, and Kushina had enjoyed it much more than she had anticipated, despite not knowing what to expect. She felt like a nervous parent as she watched the female doctor reveal the fluttering heart to Tsume. The dark-haired woman's eyes filled with tears as she heard the tiny trill of a fledgling fetus' existence. It was then that Kushina was certain that Tsume would keep her child.

And so she did. One month later, she was finally showing—a soft swell of her stomach beneath her jonin vest. The father had returned, and Tsume had stormed over to Kushina's yet again, tirading about his expected proposal.

"I don't want to get married!" Tsume had spat the words. "Don't need it."

"But he cares about you, wants to be a family," Kushina had explained, hoping to talk some reason into her friend.

"No. Uh-uh. We don't need to get married to do that! It's just not my thing."

And so, that was it. Kushina argued no more, and neither did Tsume's boyfriend. He was loyal, and that was something the Inuzuka heiress valued. Kushina respected the young man all the more for his dedication to the difficult kunoichi. How anyone dealt with her, Kushina would never know.

The sound of a hurried knock at her door caused Kushina to spin around, jostled from her thoughts. She had barely taken a step when the door was flung open, and the blonde jonin strode into her apartment. His face was set in a mixture of agitation and agony. He paced into her kitchen, his eyes raising to meet hers briefly, and she could see he was deeply troubled. There was an angry cut on his left cheek, blood long ago dried on the skin.

"Minato? What are you doing?" she asked, surprised by his intrusion but not put off by it.

His expression was unreadable as he continued to pace. She had an idea that this was what he always did when he was bothered by something. "I'm sorry. I just returned, this was the first place I thought to come."

Her heart swelled with pride as her pulse quickened. She could see him glance at her packed bag, his disappointment evident on his face as looked crest-fallen, "You're leaving."

It wasn't a question.

"I am. But not for long," she replied calmly, her stomach sinking. His defeated demeanor upset her. "Just a minor mission with a genin team up north. Well-digging."

"Oh," his voice was flat as he stood there, staring her her baggage, blood caked to his face.

She angled her head, "Are...you OK?"

"Huh?" he glanced up, his expression wearied as he tried to blink it away. "Yes...I...just—I'm sorry." He glanced at her door, as if realizing, for the first time, that he had so rudely barged into her apartment. "I shouldn't have come here." He turned to leave as quickly as he entered. She quickly recovered from her shock at his reaction.

"Wait." Her voice was stern. Commanding. She instantly knew _that_ tone. It was the same as Lady Sarutobi used to use on her as a child. He hesitated, his eyes growing wide at her unusual firmness. He didn't look at her, his shame hidden from her view. She sighed. "Sit. I'll make you tea. You must have had a long travel—at least let me do _that_ for you."

He wordlessly did as she instructed, his eyes following her every movement as she eased herself about the kitchen. "I'll fix you something to eat as well. You're probably starving. I made noodles, and they will only just spoil in my refrigerator while I'm gone. It's best to make use of them, I suppose..."

She kept chattering, and it brought a smile to his face. It was the first real smile he was able to give in nearly four weeks. He was amazed by how much she could calm him. It had been a long and tiresome assignment, and there were things he was still trying to grasp regarding Konoha's involvement in the slaughter he had happened upon in Amegakure. He knew Hanzo was involved, but he couldn't quite put his finger on Danzo's motives behind his support.

"Cold is fine, thank you. I am quite hungry."

"Good," she nodded, pushing the food in front of him as well as a cup of steaming liquid. "Now tell me what has you so upset." She sat across from him, resting her chin on her hands as her deep blue eyes shone violet in the light. Her gaze was intent, and her expression receptive.

He nodded, the move hesitant as he started to eat. He quickly realized just how famished he had been. "When are you being deployed?"

"I meet with the kage in six hours," her eyes flickered to the clock.

"Not much time," his voice was filled with disappointment. She felt her heart flutter at his reaction.

"Miss me that much?" she raised an eyebrow mockingly.

He avoided her stare, and she could swear his ears turned red. She suspected he had yet to see the Hokage for his debriefing and she felt flattered by that notion. Honored, even. Giddy. After some time, he pushed his plate away.

"Thank you, Kushina," his voice was earnest as he flashed her a bright smile that hid the volatility beneath.

"No problem. Now talk, Namikaze, before I kick you out."

He looked at her, his blue eyes filled with amusement. After some time, he nodded, an indescribable trust in her taking over him. "As much as I wish for peace in this land, all evidence points toward another conflict, it seems."

"War?" her voice was flat with disappointment and fear. The effects of the last war hung heavily on both of them. It was ironic that it was that war that led her to Konoha. To him.

"I hope not," he sighed, his chin resting on steepled fingers. "There was so much death." His eyes focused on something unseen behind her, and she knew he had seen an unspeakable devastation on this last mission. It was most likely why he was so agitated. It was not like him to discuss specifics, especially not of highly classified missions, so she would not press the issue.

"I dislike killing," he finally admitted as his shoulders sagged with his exhaustion. "detest it, even. I'll do it if it is necessary, but that is necessity is a tough line to define."

"I'd highly doubt that anyone would enjoy it," she nodded her understanding. She, too, had killed many—more than she would like to count. She never took joy in doing her job, though there were a few exceptions that teetered dangerously close.

"Some do," he whispered, his eyes on her face, some far-away memory dancing in their blue depths. "Some will do whatever it takes for power." His words were cryptic, and her brow creased as she sought to digest what he was sharing with her. She was unsure if she should ask him to clarify—or if he even wanted to. Before she could speak her inquiry, Minato blinked, his usual demeanor returning.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Kushina," he stood,, glancing at her door, "But I should get going. Hokage-sama will be expecting me, and you should rest before your mission. I apologize for my intrustion."

"You came here," she pointed out, her argument losing steam. He hesitated, his eyes widening slightly. Her words held a truth to them. Why _had_ he found his way to her apartment? He stood a few feet from her, watching her as she stood, her eyes narrowed as she formed her question: "Why?"

"I—because—" he started, his words failing him. It was a rare occasion indeed.

She shrugged, suddenly looking disinterested. "Obviously you had reason, but I won't press it."

His earlier agitation returned momentarily as his head jerked in a nod, his words low as he spoke the truth, "I wanted to see you."

"Oooh, you wanted to see me?" she teased, her sarcasm masking her true anxiety as she attempted to keep him there, if even for a few seconds longer.

He licked his lips, looking uncomfortable as his shoulders slumped in defeat. Exhaustion. She didn't know. "I..you were all I thought about. The entire four weeks," he admitted, his honesty raw. "I just wanted to see you. To talk to you. It was not a welcome mission for me. You help clear my mind."

"Did I succeed?" she asked, looking up at him. He was much closer than she remembered. She was becoming more bold in her questioning. He nodded, his eyes on her as she pulled a cloth from her pocket, his cup held between her fingers. "My hidden talent," she smiled, her former playfulness returning as she realized her brazeness as she licked the cloth and blotted the dried blood on his face.

"One of your many," he murmured as he watched her become consumed with her task.

She smiled, drawing back, "There! It was just a scratch. So much blood for such a little thing-"

She never had a chance to continue as Minato covered her mouth with his after his hands fiercely cupped her face. His kiss was rushed, frantic even. It was as if he were never going to see her again. What had he seen out there on his mission that had affected him so much? Namikaze Minato was not a man that was easily affected. Though, Kushina knew, even the best, most hardened of men had their moments of weakness. Did she bring out that out in him? The thought of having that much power over him frightened her.

The china fell from her fingertips, shattering on the floor as he pulled her against him, his hands sliding along her back. She returned his heated fervor, her hip hitting the counter surface as their kiss became deeper. It wasn't the careful, delighted kiss from four weeks ago. No, it was more needy, more urgent, more primal. She allowed him to reveal himself in that kiss, his hands wandering over her clothing, his finger caressing the skin of her neck as he crushed her against him. By the time their kiss had ended, she was seated on the counter-top, her arms flung around his neck as his hands gripped her hips.

"I'm sorry," he cleared his throat, stepping back suddenly. She looked at him, confusion clouding her eyes. Her lips were swollen from the friction of their kiss, her cheeks flushed and her breath quick. He ended their contact, and the shock of his skin being peeled away from hers was agonizing. She could only squeak her disdain .

"I...got carried away. You should rest before your mission. I have intruded long enough," he cleared his throat, straightening his vest. "Thank you...for listening to me," his voice was soft as he took a moment to collect himself. He looked somewhat disconcerted by how quickly the kiss has evolved to their heated and compromising embrace. She was unsure if he were put off by it or fighting to maintain control.

"No," she reached out and grabbed his hand, her mind still clouded by desire. He needed her, and she knew it. "Stay a while." _The night._

His eyes widened as the color drained from his face, "Kushina, surely—"

"I'm just saying," she smiled, unsure of the meaning behind her own words. She knew, being the man he was, that he would hold no expectations. She was making no promises. "That it won't kill me."

She pushed herself off the slick counter-top, sheepishly stepping up to the baffled jonin. She prided herself in being able to render him completely speechless. Her smile grew more mischievous as she angled her face up toward his, her fingers pushing the hair from his face.

"It's only a meeting in the morning, Namikaze. Besides," she closed the space between them, noticing the quickening pulsation in the vein of his neck. She boldly envisioned her lips on that skin and her stomach fluttered. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, and she could see the sheen of sweat on his upper lip. Kushina reveled in the reaction she had elicited from him. It was empowering. "Isn't that what a good shadow clone is for?"


	37. The Changeling

**You know how it goes: **RxR.** You also know how awesome you are, everyone! Best wishes for a wonderful Easter if I don't post before then. I'll be flying home, so I miss yummy food/crazy family! Happy Reading! Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"As is protocol, I have to ask: is the mission within the scope of your team's capabilities?" Hiruzen spoke the familiar words just as he had a hundred times over to many shinobi before.

"They are, Hokage-sama," Kushina bowed her head, red hair falling over her shoulder. She was wearing her usual jacket, now faded and nearly golden yellow with wear. Her short dark black boots were hidden under her blue pants. Her physique was no longer boyish, her lanky frame now boasting womanly curves that many of men in the village had come to appreciate.

He raised an eyebrow as he rested his chin on a fist, his elbow propped on his expansive desk now littered with paperwork. "It's a rag-tag bunch, but they want both the money and the mission completion on their score cards," he explained quickly, "I'm hoping they work well enough to dig a well."

"I'm hoping so, too, sir," she murmured easily. "I'd prefer to not spend a whole two weeks or more digging a hole in the ground."

Hiruzen chuckled, "I'd say, knowing my son, you're going to spend more."

The redhead sighed, "Then I'll dig it myself."

"Make sure you get compensated for that, then," he leaned back in his chair, tugging at his beard as he studied her. "The third one...the oddling—Might Gai—he is hard-working lad. Very diligent and, er, enthusiastic, you could say."

"I can handle that," she met his gaze, her own eyes flickering away after a few moments. Over the years, her eyes had become such a deep blue that they looked purple.

"Very well," the kage sighed, suddenly wearied. He hadn't slept well the night before. "If you have no further questions, then you are dismissed."

Kushina bowed again, turning on her heel and striding from the room. As she was about to reach for the door handle, it opened unexpectedly. She turned back toward the Hokage when she heard his voice, "Kushina?"

"Yes, sir?" her brow drew together by his interruption, her attention pulled away from the newcomer standing in the doorway.

"You aren't planning to send three of my willing genin-one being my son-on a mission with a clone of yours, are you?"

The kunoichi's eyes grew round as Hiruzen's words reached her ears. Her mouth fell open as she immediately began to deny his claims, "N-No, s-s-sir-"

"You see," the kage waved his hand airily as the woman stared at him in horror, "Kushina never so formally addresses me when we are alone. It was an easy way to deduce that you were indeed a clone."

"Tsk tsk, such a poor attempt. I'm disappointed, Kushina," came the smooth taunting voice from behind the redhead. She spun around to see Jiraiya in the doorway, leaning against the frame as his body blocked the way from the room. She saw his hand ready to strike.

"Shit," the clone groaned, "She's gonna be pissed about this."

With a soft plop, the clone disappeared with Jiraiya's blow, and the Toad Sage easily strode into the room. "What was your _real _tip off, Sensei?" he grinned.

Hiruzen laughed aloud, his voice dry and crackling with fatigue, "Oh, maybe the fact that one of my most prodigious jonin returned from a mission with you, hours ago, and has yet to report for debriefing."

"Ah, my student is avoiding you?" Jiraiya shook his head knowingly. "He has other...distractions, Hiruzen. He's a young man with needs, you know."

Hiruzen stiffened like a protective father, a knowing smile on his aging face. His hair was nearly completely gray, the stress of his occupation wearing on him. "He may be late with his own team, but Minato is never a minute late for the Hokage."

"Never?"

"Never."

"Until now," Jiraiya seated himself, eyebrows raised in amusement. The two men looked at one another for a few moments before sharing each other's mirth. "Love will do that to a man."

"So it will," Hiruzen stared out his window, distant, faded memories haunting him as his voice was barely more than a whisper, "So it will..."

* * *

"Shit," Kushina groaned under her breath, pulling away from her heated embrace with Minato.

She dropped her forehead onto his chest, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to catch her breath and calm her beating heart. She could feel his racing pulse against her forehead, smooth and bounding with excitement of the new boundaries they were crossing with one another. His jacket was at the foot of her bed, her own doing. He was shirtless, though she spared his pants and boots. His hair was a royal mess of blonde strands standing in every direction. Again, her doing. She licked her lips, her face hot from their eagerness. She could hear his soft chuckling, and she clenched her eyes shut even more.

"He figured you out, huh?"

"Yeah...that old bas-"

"Kushina," he softly warned her. He was right, she knew. He was the Hokage, and he demanded her respect, even if she had practically grown up with the man.

"He even took the liberty of letting Jiraiya destroy my clone," she looked up, her words careful despite the annoyance on her features.

She drew back in surprise when she realized Minato was laughing at her. She hit him in the shoulder with her fist, though not as hard as she would have liked to, due to the fact that her own jacket, while still fastened part of the way, was tugged down to her elbows and her undershirt was pushed up from his wandering hands. He smiled at her, his eyes lingering on her own messy hair—though he was sure it looked much better than his.

"You should go."

"I should," she whispered, nodding as she smoothed her clothes, doing her best not to stare at him in his partially undressed state.

She was still straddling his waist as he was pushed back into her futon. She realized that her hands were resting on his stomach, and she could feel his awareness of her close proximity as well as his lingering excitement. He looked uncomfortable as he tried to straighten himself so that he wasn't so obvious. She raised her leg, turning herself so that she was seated next to him. Her heart hammered in her ears as she tried to calm the squirming fullness that burned deep in her belly. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she had, despite his protests (which were quite weak), practically attacked him. She had no idea where that carnal ferocity had come from, but she had allowed it to take over her as she pressed him into futon, seating herself on his thighs as their hands and mouths explored one another and their hips ground together. She closed her eyes, attempting to relive the experiences his fingers had elicited on her flesh.

"Kushina?" he drawled from next to her.

"Hmm?"

"You're smiling like a dummy. You have a mission."

"Don't remind me," she groaned, her eyelids snapping open as she glared at him through heavy lids.

He was leaning back, his arms folded behind his head as he watched her in amusement. Her eyes flickered over his chest, and she wanted very much to kiss him again. Perhaps it was a good thing they were interrupted, as she wasn't sure how much restraint she would show if they were left to their own devices. His touch, taste, and smell was beyond anything she had ever experienced, and she couldn't get enough of it. From the way he was looking at her, she knew that he felt it, too. He exuded an experience that made her feel naïve and impish. She blushed furiously at how difficult it had been for her to remove his jacket and shirt. The shirt she had opted to cut with a kunai. His response was to merely raise an eyebrow before he quickly reached up and pulled her into him with a soft groan of excitement. Maybe she didn't come off as inexperienced as she felt.

She could hear him moving to gather his clothes, and she pouted in frustration. "I hate this."

"It's only a short mission. Much better than going to the borders and spying," he pointed out, completely misinterpreting the meaning of her words.

"I didn't mean the mission..."

"Oh," he stopped what he was doing, his jacket dangling from his fingertips as his eyes told her he understood and shared her frustration. He lowered himself before her. "It won't always be this way."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She tore her eyes away from his, her stomach twisting from the intensity of his gaze. He straightened, unsure of what to make of her moodiness.

He sighed, looking at the time, "If Jiraiya-sensei has returned, then I had better make my presence known. There aren't too many places they could come looking for me." A bemused smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He would have to fend off their inquiries, he knew.

"Not a bad idea, Namikaze," Kushina stood, groaning as she looked at her travel bag. It was going to be a long couple of weeks, and she felt like throwing a royal fit.

Minato grinned at her, scratching the back of his head and further mussing his hair, "Sounds like you have a good team, Kushina. Should be an easy mission."

"It better be," her eyes narrowed dangerously as her hands found her hips, "Or I'll bury them in that damned well."

* * *

Kushina had spoken very little, running ahead of the three genin at speeds they couldn't maintain. The fact that she had to check herself only made her more glum. The one in green—Gai—had somehow managed to be a bigger chatterbox than her. She could practically hear the concerned glances being passed between the Yuhi girl and Asuma.

"Don't." Asuma warned the dark-haired kunoichi running next to him. "She's in a foul mood, I wouldn't recommend saying anything when she's like this."

"Is she normally like this?" the girl's dark eyes widened. The crimson ring in them became more noticeable when she did that.

"No," Asuma admitted, "Something must have pissed her off."

Kushina appeared behind them, surprising both genin. "It's not nice to talk about someone behind their back. How about telling me to my face what's so secretive?"

Kurenai's eyes were still wide as she looked ahead, shooting concerned sideways glances at Asuma. The youngest Sarutobi inwardly cringed. She had hearing like a cave creature. "I was just tellin' Kurenai that you're not always in such a shitty mood."

Kushina said nothing as she continued to run. She hadn't expected him to be so honest. "No," she murmured. "I'm not. Must've woke up on the wrong side of my bed." She quickly leaped past the two, reclaiming her position ahead of them, but not first without slapping Asuma in the back of the head.

She could hear him utter profanities behind her, and she felt oddly satisfied by her display of physical violence, though it was quite tame, given her target. She wasn't sure why she was in such a poor mood, but she had noticed that they were more frequent and much more difficult to remove herself from since she became the kyuubi's container. She remembered Mito's warnings of the nine-tails' hatred.

_Happy thoughts, _she repeated to herself over and over. She wondered if the kyuubi could hear her thoughts and feel her emotions. She slowed her pace so that she was next to the green-clad shinobi with the hideous bowl haircut.

"Might Gai?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes, Uzumaki-san." His dark hair skimmed his thick bushy eyebrows as his gaze remained ahead.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you look ridiculous in that outfit?" she smiled at her wicked inquiry.

"All the time," he admitted, still not meeting her eyes. He wordlessly wiped sweat from his brow.

"And yet you still dress like a goblin?"

"It is not the attire that makes a shinobi, Uzumaki-san. It is the heart within the man and his youth's springtime that makes him strong," he quickly replied, his expression adamant regarding his admission.

She was taken aback momentarily by his elaborate way of speaking. Not only did he dress oddly, but he spoke like a love-stricken poet. She didn't sense any dishonesty within him, and his words were surprisingly uplifting. "You use only taijutsu?"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san." His words were slow as a look of pain or disappointment flickered across his face.

"You defeated one of Minato's genin. One that I helped train personally." She referred to the Chuunin Exams, where he had defeated Obito.

"I'm sorry about that. It was an exam, and I needed to prove myself."

"Well, Might Gai, I think that, for solely using taijutsu, you're going to become one hell of a Leaf-nin."

"You really think so?" he asked, blinking as his eyes suddenly became adoring. He turned to look at her, as if for more praise.

"Watch out for that—" she yelled, quickly diving to the right. It was too late for him, and he was struck across the neck and under the chin by the thick tree limb. He flipped backwards as a choked squawk slipped from between his lips and his arms flailed as his body plummeted to the ground.

"...branch," Kushina completed her warning moments too late. She cringed as he hit the forest floor with a loud crash. She could hear him moaning below as the trio stopped to see how badly the boy had injured himself.

"Gai!" Kurenai was the first to reach him. His eyes were closed and his face pale. Kushina was certain he had snapped his neck.

Kurenai quickly knelt beside him, her hands cupping his face as she screamed his name again. This time, his eyes fluttered open. He had the eyelashes that any woman would envy, and Kushina was certain he was _batting _them at the Yuhi girl as he moaned, "Kurenai...are you a beautiful angel...coming to take me away and teach me...the many passions..."

Kushina rolled her eyes at his flamboyant display as Kurenai's expression flickered confusion, at first, then eventually disgust as she released her grip on his face. He cried out as his head hit the ground and she stood up, glaring at him.

"Might Gai...you're a little pervert, aren't you?" Kushina softly chuckled to herself as she shook her head. She was grateful he hadn't been seriously injured. "You OK, kid?"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san," he winced as he tried to rise onto unsteady feet.

"You need carried?" she quickly examined him, squeezing his shoulders and tilting his chin left then right. He had a large knot on the back of his head and an angry red abrasion across his neck. It oozed a serosanguinous fluid—a combination of blood and other viscous fluid from tissue damage. His eyes widened as he registered her question.

"A man should always deny it, but I _am _feeling dizzy-" he began, the thick eyelashes fluttering flirtatiously.

"OK, Sarutobi—" she jerked her thumb toward Asuma, who stumbled backward in confusion and aversion.

"What?" both boys cried out. Kushina felt her mood lighten at the chaos she was creating.

"I'm suddenly feeling better, Uzumaki-san. I can run. There is no need to be carried on another man's back." Gai was frantically waving his hands in the air, his face ashen with shame.

"No way in hell am I carrying him," Asuma shook his head in defiance as Kurenai met Kushina's eyes. The girl lowered her head, doing her best to suppress her giggles as her ponytail bounced with each heave of her shoulders.

"Alright then, Team," Kushina straightened, looking toward their destination, "Then let's get this mission started. The sooner we can do that, the sooner we can go home." She saw all three nod in agreement, and, within minutes, they were once again on the move.

* * *

The sleepy village was nestled in the rolling hills boasted by the Land of Fire. Despite being midday, the town was quite still as the shinobi deftly moved through the streets. Kushina was all too aware of the stares they were receiving, and she had quickly waved for her team to remove their hitai'ites. Something struck her as odd, and she didn't feel as if every pair of eyes on them belonged to a civilian. She had no reason to believe otherwise, but something felt off.

They quickly found the requester of their assignment, and were ushered to their accommodations. By mid-afternoon, the team had begun their task.

For days they worked from dusk until dawn, and the well was progressing nicely. Kushina had decided that a few shadow clones would help expedite their task, and was pleasantly surprised by their progress in only ten days. She was also shocked by how well the three young people worked together, despite not being on the same team. She noticed a few men standing in the shadows of a sakura tree, far removed from their working space. She carefully and keenly observed them from the corner of her eye, her glimpses masked and retrieving.

_Maybe they haven't seen shinobi before_, she told herself as she saw them eventually file away. After a few days they no longer were present, but she still felt uneasy—as if they were being secretly watched. By the end of Day Thirteen, the team had completed its task. They were paid in full, accepting another night's room and board before setting out the next morning. The gnawing feeling had crept back upon Kushina, and she quietly awoke the trio in the early hours of the morning, while darkness remained settled on the tiny village. They were groggy but functional as they silently traveled through the forest after slipping from their hospitable accommodations. At midday, they stopped for a quick lunch, and she avoided fully disclosing her suspicions to the team.

"Kushina," Kurenai paused, still uncomfortable with addressing the redhead so informally, a requested by Kushina, herself, "Why didn't we wait until sunrise to disembark?"

Kushina chewed thoughtfully, torn by how much she should share. "Eh, you can never be too careful. Besides, we will arrive back to Konoha by midday tomorrow, and you three can still enjoy the entire afternoon."

The genin exchanged glances, none of which were filled with a belief in the jonin's words, but she didn't care, as it kept them from asking more questions. The team continued to run throughout the afternoon and into the evening. The sun slowly began its descent into the far horizon, giving them a few more hours of light as they traveled toward Konoha. Kushina was traveling ahead of them, her mind occupied by thoughts of seeing Minato again. She caught a brief fluttering from the corner of her eye, and her deep blue gaze flickered to it. Quickly, she removed a kunai, throwing it with ease at the target. It was knocked away before it hit its destination, and Kushina raised her defenses.

"Team!" she called out, "Formation!"

The three suddenly halted. "Right, Uzumaki-san!" Gai bellowed as the three genin quickly stopped in place, their backs to one another and weapons brandished so that they could see the enemy from every direction.

Kushina tried to retreat, but was blocked as a blur of brown intercepted her course. She froze, her eyes narrowing with suspicion and recognition. "You were watching us in the village."

A deep chuckle behind her caused her to turn around, her attention drawn to the man between her and her team. "What gave us away?"

"There are no other trees like that in this forest," she answered cautiously, looking between men. On her own, she may be able to handle them, but with three kids to protect as well, she knew they may have some difficulty. She could see no detectable symbol that would tell her the men's village of origin. Their skin was dark, similar to that of the Kumo-nin she had encountered numerous times during exams in Konoha. Her eyes flickered to the swords they carried on their backs.

"Awaiting your words," Gai called out, his voice wavering slightly as he stood stiffly.

"Hold," she commanded, her gaze flickering between the two men, "What do you want?"

"Red hair," the one man mused, his kunai flickering in the light that spilled between the tree branches. His eye darted to his comrade. "How unique to Konoha. As he said. She's young, though..."

"What business is it of yours?" Kushina felt an odd prickly premonition rake the back of her neck as her fingers drew closer to the chakra blades at her hips. _Hadn't there been more than two in the village? And who is 'he'_?

"She's not the First's wife. She would be far too old," the second responded airily. Confidently. "But the brothers would know if the demon were destroyed. They share the chakra."

Kushina narrowed her eyes, an overwhelming urge to vomit consuming her. How would they have such knowledge of Mito? Did that mean they knew she was the nine-tails' container as well? And who are these brothers?

"What business of it is yours? You are not Konoha-nin," she replied through gritted teeth. She did not want to broach her questions in front of her genin. She watched the trio from the corner of her eye.

"Feisty, this one. As we had heard," the second replied, taking a step back, closer to the genin.

"Stay away from them!" the redhead hissed, her ears catching the crunching of leaves behind her.

"Stay calm, missy," the one behind her sneered. "We may have trouble sedating this one," he told his companion. "If you come with us, we'll spare the kids."

Kushina's eyes grew wide at his words as she quickly understood their intentions to take _her_. She heard the man behind her lunge for her, and she knew their promise was empty. She quickly parried his blow, kicking him forcefully in the stomach. He managed to absorb most of the impact, returning with one of his own. Instantly, the red-head exploded in a cloud of raindrops, the moisture quickly returning to the damp forest floor.

"What the—" the shinobi replied, "A water clone?"

Before he realized what was happening, Kushina had dropped down from the tree above, her chakra blade driving deep into his neck. Blood spurted from the severed artery, pulsating with each beat of his heart. He reached up to staunch the flow, but she sliced the blade across the tender flesh of his knuckles, the blade digging deep into the bones of his hands. He screamed in pain as his knees buckled and the blood loss became too much. His body spasmed as Kushina landed next to him, her furious gaze on the remaining man. He began to back toward the genin trio, and Kushina quickly reacted.

"Asuma, here!" she shouted, throwing the blades in the air as she charged at the shinobi before her. The man released a cloud of shuriken, and Kushina deflected with her two kunai as she saw Asuma deftly catch the blades. The sound of more feet hitting the soft earth caused her heart to race.

_Just how many are there? _Enough to capture a jinchuuriki, she knew. There was no mistaking their cryptic exchange.

"Tread carefully, team!" she warned as she leaped high, her hands going through the seals as she tried to dispel her current enemy in order to protect the three genin. The chakra engulfed her fist as she forced the water to swirl in deadly sickles as she pushed a punch into the man's chest. She immediately regretted the move, as her body convulsed from the shockwave that shuddered through her body. In her haste, she had forgotten that Kumo-nin were adept with lightning elemental jutsu.

_Shit, careless, Kushina!_

"Lightning-based attacks," Kurenai murmured as her eyes showed her horror as Asuma yelled, "Kushina!"

In her paralysis, Kushina fell to her knees, her eyes detecting the subtle electrical current running over the man's dark skin. He grabbed her wrist with his thick fingers, pulling her closer.

"Water plus lightning is such a lovely thing," he smugly informed her, his breath hot on her face, "A deadly combination, no?"

"Who are you—" she began, her eyes flickering over to the genin fighting behind him as she tried to force the words from her mouth. She saw the swift blur of green as Gai maneuvered around his enemy's attacks. As genin, the three were unevenly matched for the shinobi who faced them. They were not ready for combat. She had been careless, and they my very well pay with their lives.

"Huh?" she looked up as the man before her slackened his grip on her hand, his body becoming rigid.

She was startled as the man screamed, blood gurgling from his mouth as he slumped forward, falling inches from where she was kneeling on the ground. A blade jutted from his back, and Kurenai stood behind him, her hands trembling as she held the hilt of the sword. A dark pool of blood began to spread through his jacket, and he twitched as spittle foamed at the corner of his mouth.

"He will bleed to death before he wakes up," the girl insisted, her eye wide. Kushina suddenly remembered that the Yuhi Clan were renown for their impeccable and deadly genjutsu. "Are you OK, Kushina?" she asked, concerned as she glanced at her two fighting teammates.

Kushina nodded, forcing herself to stand on her numb legs as Kurenai assisted her. Both women turned around as Gai screamed in agony. Asuma was doing his best to fight off three men at the same time, his wind-attacks sloppy and mistimed.

"Get rid of the kids," one of the other shinobi ordered, most of his face concealed by the odd accoutrement on his head. She saw a scar along his jaw. Asuma quickly became overwhelmed by his opponents, who were easily closing in.

"No!" Kushina screamed as she saw the deadly glint in the attacking shinobi's eyes. She tried to intercept the blow, but she was too slow. A short blade sank into Asuma's flesh, his eyes growing wide with pain and shock as he was stabbed in the abdomen.

"NO!" Kurenai and Kushina screamed together as blood dripped from the wound in Asuma's side. The chakra blades fell silently to the ground as the dark-haired Leaf-nin turned to look at them in confusion.

"That blade is poisoned, so even if he survives the attack, he'll die," the swathed shinobi smugly informed her.

"You will pay for this!" Kushina screeched in fury as Kurenai reached his side, her hands trying to staunch the bleeding. Gai staggered, his face bloodied and swollen as their four opponents drew back.

"We can help him," the man rasped in amusement. "If you come with us, we'll give the girl the antidote."

"No, Kushina," Asuma hissed in pain. "Don't do it. They're liars."

Kushina stood, rage filling her as she had never felt before. "How dare you attack kids. How _dare you _ try to bargain with me for _his life_! He's the Hokage's son!"

"Even more of a reason to agree to our stipulations," the man smirked. "Spare the Hokage more pain."

"What's happening?" Gai asked as a new, powerful chakra began to crush them.

Kushina's eyes were no longer blue, instead taking on a deep red color as she fell forward on her hands and knees. An odd cloak of chakra began to envelope her as her fury sizzled within her. Concerned glances passed between the Kumo-nin. "I'll kill you, I'll kill _all of you_," Kushina vehemently hissed, her blood curdling. "Then I'll take the antidote from your cold dead fingers—" The chakra around her began to stretch outward, waving as if it were tendrils of hair.

Kurenai drew back, noticing Kushina's slitted pupils and sharp canine teeth. She caught Asuma in her arms, pulling him with her as Gai finally collapsed from exhaustion.

"We found them," someone suddenly called from behind her, but she didn't turn to see who had arrived. She heard their feet sink into the earth as they landed, but her eyes were on the treacherous shinobi before her. The rage filling her was delicious, and the power surging through her was amazingly enticing. She would crush them all with her bare hands. She would paint the forest with their blood...

"Sarutobi's been poisoned," she heard someone else murmur, followed by the familiar click of a two-way radio. Five masked ANBU landed behind the enemies, and swords glinted as the four were quickly and deftly murdered, their bodies heading back to Konoha before they had hit the ground.

"Get Asuma back to Konoha, as well as the girl and the other boy, too."

"What is going on with Uzumaki-san, sir?"

"I'll take care of her, just get the kids back to Konoha. That's a direct order, Agent!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Roger that, sir."

She saw the ANBU fly past her, Kurenai staring at her with wide eyes as a bleeding Asuma and unconscious Gai were in tow as well.

"Uzumaki!" came the familiar voice. Kushina turned her head slightly, her anger still consuming her. She saw him stiffen.

"You're turning," he informed her. "Control yourself."

"I'm _what_?" she hissed, her voice more guttural. She looked at her fingers, startled by the shape of her nails. They were more triangular, not like her own. "Shit, what's happening?"

"I arrived in time, it seems," Ken quickly strode toward her as Kushina looked up, wild fury in her eyes. His hand was buried in his vest, and she only had a moment of recognition as the tag was slammed into her forehead, and she fell into a vast darkness.


	38. A New Life

**A/N: And **_**that **_**took waaaaay longer than I expected. I apologize for taking forever to post this. Much thanks for sticking with me, as it's been a long haul :) We're getting there... Keep sending your thoughts this way!  
**

_Fanfic Drawer_: No apology necessary, my profile was more a generalization of flamers (I just don't get the concept of being utterly unsupportive). It definitely does _not _include you! Thanks so much for taking the time to review! Be impatient all you want, as long as you keep being so nice about it! ^_^

**_Super special shout out to the lovely _**_tosakuai_**_: congrats, now keep writing ;)_**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto. Enjoyed the heart to heart between Naruto and the Nine-Tails. Dohhh.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina jolted awake, her body drenched in a cold sweat and her heart pounding in her ears. Her breath was quickened by the uncertain fear coursing through her veins. She gasped as she wildly looked around the lifeless room. The starched white sheets were pushed to the foot of the bed and her pillow was damp with perspiration.

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, her breathing becoming more even.

She tried to recall something—anything—but her head hurt from the effort. A blurry image of three genin and herself in a forest came to her mind's forefront, but she could remember very little after leaving the site of their assignment. A dull aching pain thundered behind her eyes as she leaned back against the metal bed, her heavy lids blocking out the light peeking through the bent metal blinds. She felt as if someone where rubbing sand in her eyes and shoving cotton down her throat.

_Think, think, think! _she urged herself.

She squeezed her eyelids shut as she willed her memory to return. A vague image of a dark caveand a grating, deep voice—one filled with loathing and anger—came to her, though she couldn't recall who the voice belonged to. Had she spoken to that someone? Her heart was flooded with a deep sadness and despair she couldn't describe. Was it only a dream?

"Asuma!" she quickly sat upright, the faint hints of her lost memory returning.

She suddenly remembered being outnumbered by the enemy, but too concerned about her genin team's well-being to worry about herself. She remembered Asuma being stabbed, his blood spilling on the ground and his life becoming a negotiable deal. Her heart began to race and she felt that familiar rage beginning to stir in her abdomen. Deep in the dark corners of her inner being, something was hiding and waiting; it was lying low in hopes that the very rage that was threatening to resurface would take over.

She reminded herself of the ANBU. Ken was there, she knew, though she wasn't sure _how _she was so certain of that fact. That part of her memory was black and convoluted in the depths of her anger. She had lost control, something Mito had warned her about. She had almost failed herself and the village, she was sure of it, even if her memory did not support that fear. She touched her forehead. Something lingered in her mind's eye, but she couldn't force it to come to her as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet drew back as the soles touched the chilled floor. She felt the cold air on her exposed flesh and she realized she needed to dress herself before storming from her room. The tiny hospital room looked more like a janitor's closet, and she wondered if this was a special precaution for a jinchuuriki. She quickly dressed, mildly curious as to how long she had been incapacitated.

Kushina found her way to a desk in the middle of the hall, and she slammed her palms on it. The nurse looked up, drawing back in confusion as she saw the kunoichi. "Aren't you—" she began, her voice warbling as her fat jowls flapped with each word she spoke.

"Nevermind that, where is Asuma? The Hokage's son?" Kushina rolled her eyes, annoyed and impatient.

"Miss, you should be in your room." She pushed her horned-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose, green eyes narrowing as she regained her composure.

"Just tell me where he is! _Before_ I start barging into every room!" the redhead growled.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would."

Blue eyes met green ones, and the older woman sighed in surrender. "Down the hall," she pointed, "last room on the right."

"That wasn't so difficult, now was it?" Kushina murmured, her eyes following the woman's thick finger.

She didn't wait for a response as she bounded toward the indicated room. It was a private suite, though she hadn't expected anything else for the kage's youngest son. The door crueaked as she pushed it open, and she found Asuma laying in the bed, his eyes closed. She could see the rise and fall of his chest and the line that snaked from a vein in his left arm to a large, clear bag on a pole. Small pads were attached to his chest, and a machine at his bedside beeped with every beat of his heart.

"I know you're awake," she softly informed him as she shut the door behind her.

"Kushina?" he whispered, opening one eye. She saw the corners of his mouth twitch upward as he turned his head in her direction. His face was pale and dark circles hung under his eyes. "Sorry, thought you were Dad."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're avoiding your old man?"

Asuma sighed, looking away. "He's more concerned about you, anyhow."

Despite his nonchalant expression, she knew that he was hiding a deeper pain. He always felt as if his father disregarded him and his interests, but Kushina knew differently. Hiruzen observed his son from a distance, too afraid that his years as Hokage have created a rift between father and son that was virtually irreparable. He loved Asuma more than his own life, though he was unable to effectively convey that to a young boy. His pride transcended praises and gifts, and, someday, Asuma would come to appreciate his father. Only then will their relationship flourish.

"That's not true." In fact, it was far from the truth. If only Asuma knew the _real _reason Hiruzen was concerned about Kushina. If he knew what was sealed inside of her...

"Yeah..." he replied, staring at the ceiling.

"Don't say something like that again, you brat," she lightly joked as he closed his eyes, wincing after a quick chuckle. "Still hurt?"

"Like a bitch," Asuma licked his cracked lips. "That bastard stabbed me. When I get out of here, I'll find him..."

They both knew it was a moot point, as ANBU had most likely retrieved what they needed from the Kumo-nin and discarded the evidence. Before Kushina could speak, the door creaked again, and two sets of eyes flickered toward the newcomer. His back was to them, and he appeared to be caught up in a heated discussion as he waved his arms in disinterest. Kushina could hear the hushed voice of a woman, and she detected anger in the speaker's low tones as Ken quickly shut the door behind him. Kushina saw dark hair and the pale face of the female physician as she glanced in the room before storming away.

"Heya, buddy, how're ya doing?" Ken smiled as he approached the bed, grinning at the boy.

"Like shit," Asuma grumbled, doing his best to sit up straight.

"Expected whenever you get stabbed, you know," Ken scratched his head laughing. "It'll make you stronger."

"Doesn't feel like it," the kage's son winced, his laughter abruptly cut off.

"Nah, you'll be as good as new in no time. Just sit tight, kid," the ANBU commander promised. His dark eyes flitted to Kushina. "How're you doing, Uzumaki?"

"Better than him," she shot her childhood friend a familiar half-smile.

"Yeah, rub it in," Asuma's eyes narrowed. "All fun and games when you were the one that didn't get stabbed."

"Sorry," Kushina quickly sobered and Asuma pulled a face.

"You got a minute?" the ANBU commander asked, jerking his head toward the door. Kushina nodded, quickly standing.

"You mind?" she asked Asuma.

"Nope," he answered as he watched the two quietly leave the room. He had always liked Ken, and wondered why Kushina didn't date the light-hearted shinobi. He shook his head as he closed his eyes, hoping to finally get a few minutes' rest.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"How are _you_?" Ken asked as soon as they slipped into the hallway. His eyes wandered over her face before a shuffling movement in the hall caught his attention. They both glanced toward the source of the noise, and Kushina saw Ken's girlfriend quickly turn away, but not before shooting a look of disdain toward her lover.

"She hates me," Kushina murmured. She could understand the woman's reservations, but she had never done anything to deserve the coldness that always met her friendly greetings and inquiries.

"No, she doesn't hate you," Ken sighed. "She's just pissed off at me."

"Why? What'd you do?" Her light-hearted tone fell flat, sounding more like nervous banter.

Ken was silent for a few moments, his eyes sliding out of focus as he blinked listlessly. She called his name and his attention turned back to her. His trademark half-grin tugged at his lips as he leaned against the wall. "She just...wants more from this relationship...and I'm obviously not on board, I guess."

Kushina studied him carefully. "She wants more...?"

"Marriage. Kids. The whole shebang. I'm too busy to give her the attention she really needs. She's becoming impatient with me, you could say," he shrugged, avoiding Kushina's questioning look. "Anyhow, you're OK?"

"I feel fine," she admitted, despite the questions swirling through her mind. "What happened out there? I remember you..."

A silence lingered between them before he carefully spoke. "You were...pissed off."

She furrowed her brow, dissatisfied with his answer. "What's that mean?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. It was apparent we arrived at the right time. Asuma stabbed, that weird boy nearly exhausted, not sure the Yuhi girl could have handled things with you as angry as you were..."

Kushina was becoming frustrated with his veiled answers."You're hiding something, I can tell. You look at the top of my head," she pointed at her forehead.

Ken pursed his lips, his eyes meeting hers. She could see something in them she couldn't quite place her finger on. Whatever it was, she knew it was agitating him. "I'm not at liberty to speak about it. Please just drop it, Kushina."

She opened her mouth to angrily protest his answer, but her train of thought was lost as he pushed himself off of the wall, his arms at his sides as he took a step forward. There was nothing especially noticeable about the movement, but it disturbed her greatly. The hair stood up on the back of her neck and her skin crawled with an odd sense of familiarity.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Ken asked, his voice lowering. "Kushina? What's wrong?"

Kushina blinked, realization dawning on her as she silently confirmed her own suspicion. She looked at him, "N-Nothing. I'm fine. I'm sorry...it's just been a weird day."

"Day?" He spoke softly, unsure of how she would react to _that _news. "Kushina, you've been out for _three_."

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"You've _got _to be kidding me!" Kushina groaned, sinking deeper into the plush leather seat. Her dark blue eyes flickered over to the blonde man. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed as his head drooped. "And you agree with this?"

His eyes slowly opened as he heard the fury in her voice. He was all too familiar with her temper, and he was prepared for her ire. He glanced at the Hokage, who silently nodded his encouragement. The oncoming war had slowed down Minato's ascension to Hokage, but the elder Sarutobi was slowly training his successor, regardless. Minato sucked in a deep, calming breath before he spoke.

"Kushina, he is the Hokage. It does not matter if I agree or disagree. His concerns are for you, and I can't fault the logic, which is reasonable if you would only listen—"

"He wishes to make me a prisoner of this village! There's no mistaking that!" she hissed, rudely pointing toward the Hokage.

"I'm still here, you know," the kage sighed, frustrated by her irrational nature. Kushina was never good at listening to the other side of the argument. "And that's not my intention, though it may seem that way."

"Then what do you call it? A vacation? Limited _only _to Konoha?" she was seething as she turned on him, tears rimming her eyes.

"It is dangerous for you to leave the village walls. Inoichi has shared what the Intel Team gathered, and it's apparent that people know more about the Nine-Tails than we had thought," he drummed his fingers on the desk before leaning back in his chair. His eyes never left her face, though he felt her pain.

"So? That doesn't mean that they can't come _here_ and find me, then!" she protested, though she knew her argument was a pathetic one. Konoha wouldn't so easily fall, nor would the Hokage or Minato allow that to happen.

"That is true, but you are well protected here, at least," Minato pointed out, his arms still folded across his chest as he watched her.

She felt her cheeks grow hot at his silent scrutiny. She was not acting like a respectable kunoichi, nor was she following the stringent code outlined for the village shinobi. In fact, anyone else would be tried for disobedience if they spoke to the Hokage in such a manner. "Yeah, take his side."

"Kinkaku and Ginkaku," Hiruzen answered. Her brow drew together as she looked at him. His dark eyes studied her carefully. "The names of the brothers that are said to have lived inside the Nine-Tails," he explained.

"They lived _in _it?" Kushina was mildly captivated and did her best to hide her intrigue. She hadn't heard this story before, though something about it sounded oddly familiar.

"That was most likely who the Kumo-nin were referring to," he nodded, referencing Kushina's jagged memory of their attack. "The brothers' time inside the beast has given them some of the demon's chakra. That is most likely how they know the Nine-Tails resides within Konohagakure."

"I guess it would be logical that if they shared the chakra, they could sense the beast," Kushina softly admitted, her eyes flickering to Minato's face. She was sure he already knew all of this. She exhaled, her anxiety easing slightly. "Go on. I can tell there's something else..."

Hiruzen glanced at Minato, who uncrossed his arms. "They are responsible for an attack on Konoha—one that nearly killed the Second Hokage," Minato informed her, his voice smooth as he spoke. His eyes were once again closed. "Shortly after that, we knew nothing more of their existence. It was rumored they were killed, but no one knows for sure. It's thought that their knowledge of the Nine-Tails may have something to do with them coming into close proximity to Konoha during that attack. They probably sensed the demon's chakra here, as you said. Or," he glanced at Hiruzen, "someone shared the jinchuuriki's identity with them."

Kushina looked between them, still sensing that something was lingering in the air. Hiruzen lowered his head so that he was staring at his hands. "Kushina, some recent information has made us believe that it was Kumo that destroyed Uzushiogakure..." Kushina gasped at the revelation, but the kage quickly continued, "It would be logical to assume that they had hoped to break the strong alliance between our villages by staging an attack that looked as if Konoha had destroyed their allies."

"The man from my village, the one Kuromaru killed, had said he saw ANBU masks," her voice was strained as she slowly pieced the information together. It was a bittersweet revelation, putting an end to the uncertain chapters to her life. It wouldn't bring her loved ones back, but it was the only sense of closure she would get.

"We had lost a large number of men and women in that war, it would not be unthinkable that this the enemy disguised themselves. At least, that's what we believe," Minato's voice was low. "I'm sorry, Kushina, this is not the news you want to hear, but we thought it best to share everything with you. Being a container is a huge commitment, and being completely honest with you is the least either the Hokage or myself can do."

Kushina felt her throat constrict with threatening tears. She had been foolish to think they would purposely keep her bound to the village or take away her freedom. She had signed up for this duty, and she should have more faith in those that care for her. She nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak as she looked away from the two men. The present and future of the village.

Minato continued, "This brings us back full circle. It's only a matter of time before another attempt to retrieve the container. And what greater way to do so than during the chaos of a war."

"Great, so suddenly the redhead with the demon in her is a hot commodity...is that what you're telling me?" Kushina sighed as hopelessness flooded her. She sprawled in her chair in an unladylike manner.

"The Nine-Tails has been used for dark purposes in the past. It's a powerful being, Kushina..." Hiruzen grunted, "They will stop at nothing to take it—"

"And me," she softly completed his thought.

"And you," Hiruzen agreed, his voice thick with concern. "So you see, it's not just about the demon inside of you, my dear. It's also about you."

Kushina studied her fingernails, doing her best to quash the shame that was filling her. She still had a question that was bothering her. She had her own theory, but she wanted to hear it from someone else's mouth. "What happened to me in the forest?"

"You were transforming," Hiruzen watched her as he rested his steepled fingers against his chin. It had taken him a few moments to deliver that answer, and she knew he was being completely honest with her.

"But doesn't the seal keep that from happening?"

"Despite the seal, there is always a little of the Nine-Tails' chakra that mixes with your own," Minato was the one to explain. "Over time, that seal will need restored. It will weaken, allowing for more chakra to mix. The Nine-Tails feeds off of intense emotional states: anger, hatred, rage. When you, er, succumb to those emotions, the demon can flourish, even with a strong seal."

"Speak plainly, please." Kushina did her best to not roll her eyes.

"Fine," Minato nodded diplomatically, "You risked letting it take over. In turn, you put those around you as well as yourself in danger."

"I have never seen it myself," Hiruzen admitted, watching her reaction. "But the chakra sensed by the rescuing ANBU was not human..."

Kushina chewed her lower lip, her hands clenched in her lap. He was doing his best to hide his feelings for her, acting as a true future Hokage should. She found it both attractive and annoying at the same time, but she couldn't deny that both men were acting in her best interest—not just the interest of keeping the village's secrete weapon safe. They cared about _her_. She feared the war that was on everyone's lips. Rumors of Sunagakure's extreme measures to find their missing—and rumored dead—Kazekage, as well as conflict across the northern and western countries. Memories of her childhood and the war that ravaged her country threatened to surface. She knew the extreme measures that armies would go to for the sake of winning a war.

"Whatever," Kushina threw her hands up in the air, pushing those long-forgotten memories away. "Fine. You two win. I'll stay in and keep my mouth shut."

The two men looked at one another, both uncertain as to what they had said to get the Uzumaki heiress to give up so easily. Both were afraid that there would be serious ramifications to keeping the chatty kunoichi within the village's limits.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"I have the distinct feeling, Namikaze, that you lied to me," Kushina glared at him as she sat cross-legged in the grass. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she huffed in irritation. "You told me fuinjutsu was a weakness of yours."

His palms were flat against the ground as he avoided her piercing and accusing stare. She thought she could hear the smile in his voice as he answered her. "I didn't lie. I'm not skilled with _Uzushio_ fuinjutsu."

"You bastard!" she swung her fist at him in annoyance. He was a gifted shinobi, no doubt, but she had yet to find anything he hadn't mastered. "You need to learn humility, you ass!"

He waved his hands in protest, "I'm sorry! I didn't know I needed to specify!" He ducked under another intended blow. "Kushina, settle down—"

"You make me sick, Namikaze! You have never failed at anything! It's unreal!" She fought the smile that was threatening to spread across her face. Despite her frustration with him, she had developed a deep respect for his capabilities. He would make a ruthless and fair Hokage, and she was surprised by how much there was to him she hadn't known before they began dating. She almost felt badly for how poorly she had treated him in their younger years.

"I c-can't cook!" he raised his hands in surrender. She narrowed her eyes as her fist stopped in mid-air. "I swear it! I burn water! True story, Kushina."

She would not have believed him, but she had experienced this firsthand when he tried to cook her a dinner at his cramped apartment. He had caught his stove on fire, managing to burn his curtains. They spent the evening at the ramen stand before spending their first night together—though in the much safer confines of her apartment. It had been one of the few nights they had been able to spend together, given Minato's increased duties and deployment. Her cheeks burned with the memories of that night. She could finally understand the feelings she had heard her friends so vividly describe when they had talked about their encounters, though she thought hers were much more romantic than their trysts.

"Sorry?" he muttered, still guarding himself against any other attack she may have hidden up her sleeve. He lowered a hand, pointing at the scrolls unfurled on the dry earth. "I'm really not that good at fuinjutsu," he shared, "I'm only good because I have a good teacher. I have never practiced so much as I have these past six months!"

She bit back a retort, realizing he was complimenting her. Her cheeks grew pink as she sputtered at his praise. He fought the smile that tugged at his lips. He took immense joy at being able to render the talkative kunoichi speechless, though usually in ways other than general conversation...

His thoughts began to dangerously teeter on the verge of inappropriate, but the sudden approaching presence interrupted what could have come to be.

"Someone's coming," he informed her, busying himself with the seals they were going over in order to calm his natural reaction to his carnal thoughts. He shifted his position for good measure.

"Huh?" she asked, her gaze lifting toward the presence that was tearing through the field. She instantly recognized Yoshino and she quickly leaped to her feet. All romantic notions for the evening were instantly shattered before her friend even spoke—it was evident by the look on the dark-haired woman's face.

"Kushina!" Yoshino gasped as she came to a halt. Her eyes darted to Minato, but she barely cast a nod of acknowledgment in his direction. Her eyes were wide with concern. "It's...t-t-time!"

Kushina glanced at Minato, her stomach sinking as she realized that their time together has been invariably postponed. In the past seven months or so, they had seen each other scarcely. "Sorry, gotta go," she told him, a grim smile hiding her disappointment.

"Right," Minato agreed, his eyes betraying his encouragement. "I'll stop by later to see how everything is going."

"OK—" Kushina began, her jaw snapping shut as Yoshino jerked her into motion.

"Come on! We don't have time for this shit!" the woman nearly screeched as she tugged a bewildered Kushina behind her as Minato's form grew smaller. "Tsume's having her baby, and _now_!"

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Kushina stumbled into the Inuzuka compound, her mind whirling with what Yoshino had told her. She quickly followed her friend through the manor, her pulse racing with each of Tsume's screams.

"Is she...is she alright?" Kushina stammered, her temples throbbing.

"Of course not!" Yoshino snapped, "A baby is about to come out of her damned vagina."

Kushina paled, "It's sounds so horrible when you put it like that..."

"Try to imagine a coconut coming out of something the size of—" she curled her hands to created the desired size.

"Not cool," Kushina muttered under her breath. She would have appreciated _less _honesty from her friend. The women heard Tsume scream a long and impressive line of profanities. "Is the doctor here?"

"Nope," Yoshino looked genuinely concerned, "Some shinobi were ambushed on the western border, and the medical staff is too preoccupied. I had to make a last minute decision to find someone who could help her."

"Who?"

"Mikoto," the dark-haired woman glanced at her from the corner of her eye as they neared Tsume's room. "She has one kid under her belt. I thought she would be best to help, at least until a medic arrives. She had some training in it."

"Good," Kushina breathed. She knew nothing about birthing babies, and was only there for whatever emotional support Tsume would need.

"?" Tsume screeched. "This shit _hurts_!"

"Just breathe," Mikoto attempted to soothe her as Yoshino and Kushina entered the room.

Yoshino offered a strained smile of encouragement and Kushina's eyes grew wide as she took in the state of the room. Pillows were thrown about, stuffing ripped from their bellies and strewn throughout the cluttered room. Pictures littered the floor, and the bed was turned over. Tsume was currently on her back, her knees bent as a large pillow propped her against the wall. A thin sheet covered her lower half, and her hair was matted with sweat from her exertion. Her lower lip was bleeding from where she had bitten it with a sharp incisor.

"'Bout time you bitches showed up," she hissed as the contraction passed.

Mikoto nodded to them, her eyes showing her relief to have them there as she replaced the rag on Tsume's head. "She's progressed a bit faster than expected. I was in labor for nearly three days with Itachi," she admitted.

"Well, eight hours is too long if you ask me," Tsume grunted as she laid her head back. "This is bullshit."

"There isn't a doctor here, yet?" Yoshino's eyes were wide with concern as she spit the question.

"Screw it, I'll just have the damned thing. Get it out of me," the dog-nin growled through clenched teeth. "I feel like I'm being ripped apart. Slowly. Who actually _wants _to go through this torture?"

"Could you hold off on the descriptions, please?" Kushina croaked, her mouth dry.

"_I'm_ having the baby, and _you_ look like shit? Makes sense." Tsume opened her eyes and looked at her friend. She grinned, her teeth bloody, "Thanks for showing up. I'm sorry I can't show my appreciation."

Kushina was standing against the wall, her face pale and damp with sweat. Her eyes grew wide as Mikoto lifted the sheet. She licked her lips as her stomach sank. She had killed men and women, but she had never seen a baby delivered. For over twenty years, she had convinced herself that babies came from women's belly buttons. And, as she looked at a part of Tsume she had never wanted to see, she was positive that she had made the right decision to _not _become a medic-nin..

Suddenly, Tsume screamed as another wave of contraction took over. Mikoto's eyes grew wide as she dropped the sheet, "I can see the head! You're going to get that wish, Tsume."

"I'm never doing this again!" Tsume bellowed. "I fuckin' hate you, Uchiha!"

Outside the room, Kushina saw Kuromaru sitting in the doorway, his back toward the women as if he were guarding the room. She found it funny, considering she hadn't noticed the dog on the way in. The sounds of Mikoto's instructions pulled Kushina's thoughts back to the reality at hand.

"When the next contraction comes, you're going to push, do you hear me, Tsume?" Mikoto spoke softly but firmly, ignoring the dog-nin's shouts of hatred. She pointed to Yoshino, "Hold her hand." She glanced at Kushina, as if she would have been any help, "Where's the father?"

"He's...on a mission..." Tsume gasped, recovering from the last wave of pain, "My cousin went out as soon as the contractions started. He should...be here soon..."

"OK, good," Mikoto took command, "Kushina, I need you down here with me." Kushina nodded, her face white as she stood where Mikoto instructed. The Uchiha smiled encouragingly at her, "You can help me catch."

"Catch?" Confusion flooded Kushina's features.

"Holy, _fuck_!" Tsume barked, "I'm pushing!"

Mikoto nodded, dropping to her knees and tearing the sheet away from Tsume's legs. Kushina hadn't been looking closely before, and the sight that greeted her eyes was overwhelming. Blood pounded in her ears as she heard Tsume's faraway curses and screams while she pushed with each contraction. The redhead swayed in place, barely registering Mikoto's look of confusion and concern. Kushina's mouth began to water as the sight of childbirth traumatized her. Within seconds, darkness engulfed her and she collapsed on the floor.

"The fuck?" Tsume hissed as she craned her neck to see what had happened. "Did she just fucking pass out on me? Right now? _Now?_"

"Stay focused!" Mikoto instructed, reaching out to feel for a pulse on Kushina's neck. The woman's skin was slick and cool to the touch, but she could feel the familiar bounce of Kushina's heartbeat against her fingertips. She shook her head knowingly before turning her attention back to the baby that was nearing its entrance into the world. This entire situation would be hilarious in a few hours.

"I'm going to have this baby," Tsume breathed between heaves, "And after that, I'm going to beat the shit out of Uzumaki, mark my words!"

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

The sound of a howling forced Kushina's eyes open. The bright lights above her blinded her, and she used her arm to shield herself.

"It's a girl!"

Mikoto's voice reminded her of where she was. Kushina quickly rolled onto her stomach, the back of her head aching from where she had hit the floor. She blinked for a few moments, her thoughts clearing. She saw the tiny squirming infant in Mikoto's arms. The baby girl was swathed and handed to Tsume. Tears streamed down the new mother's face as she held the tiny infant, real happiness lighting up her features, despite the intense pain she had just suffered.

"A girl, huh?" She pulled the infant to her breast. Tiny fingers reached skyward as the child broke into another fit of screams. Kuromaru's howls matched the intensity of the child's, his head held high as the canine announced the child's entrance into this world.

"Nice of you to join us again," Tsume smiled. Kushina's eyes grew wide as three pairs of eyes stared at her in expectation. Four if you count Kuromaru. "I'll have to kick your ass later. Not in front of the kid, though."

"Sorry," the redhead quickly muttered to her friend, feeling sheepish for her actions. "You just had a baby," Kushina whispered, looking at the tiny miracle in her friend's arms.

"I did," Tsume looked at her. "You are very observant, did anyone ever tell you that?" she chuckled.

"You're doing well," Mikoto interrupted every few minutes, as she continued whatever it was beneath that sheet. Kushina wanted no part in it.

After about fifteen minutes, Mikoto informed them that Tsume needed rest, ushering the two women from the room. A few moments later, a knock at the door introduced the new father. Kushina led him to the birthing room, where Tsume was trying to breastfeed the child. She glanced up, her features softening as she saw her lover. The man was soiled and sweaty from his trek back .

"I came as soon as I received news," he murmured, his eyes on the infant suckling at her mother's breast as he dropped to his knees at her side. He reached and stroked the child with trembling fingers, drawing back when the little girl cried out in disdain. A bead of sweat trickled down his face as he watched his child with a mixture of fear and love.

"Come on," Tsume held the baby out to her lover, encouraging him to hold her. "Meet your new daughter, Hana."


	39. Rules of War

**And It begins. Read & Review, folks, our time is limited :D Very grateful for your support, thankyouverymuch. Happy Reading! **

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, I change it as I deem fit. There. **  
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* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

"How is the new book coming along?" Minato asked as he pushed away the remnants of his now-cold meal.

"Eh, it's coming," the Sannin shrugged, "I'll forward you an advanced copy when it's done. Waiting for the publisher. You know the routine..."

"Ah," Minato smiled, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head, "A different pace from your normal perversions?"

"Heh," Jiraiya chuckled knowingly, "My _biographies_, you mean?"

Minato laughed. He was glad to have his sensei back in Konoha for however indefinite the duration. It had been quite a few years since he had last seen Jiraiya, though he had wished that the circumstances were different-that they hadn't involved the kyuubi and a war.

"How's that gorgeous fox, Kushina?" Jiraiya slowly parried Minato's earlier question in an attempt to change the subject. The blonde man leaned back farther, a familiar smile crossing his features as his gaze became that of a a smitten lover. "Minato?"

"Huh? Oh, she's good," he waved his hand behind his head, his eyes darting away.

"Just _good_?" the pale-haired man wriggled his eyebrows and leaned forward as if he were about to hear a juicy bit of gossip.

"Sensei..." the blonde's tone lowered dangerously as it had on only a few occasions. "Off limits."

"Right, sorry..." Jiraiya quickly muttered, his disappointment evident on his face. "How is she...in all other respects, then?"

"One of the most talented kunoichi I've ever seen," Minato sighed as his chair shot upright. "She rivals you in fuin, you know."

"Me? Bah! Impossible!" the Sannin replied playfully, his tone betraying the tiniest hint of interest.

"I mean it," Minato nodded, his gaze solemn. "She's quite gifted, much more so than me, I admit. I have to constantly go over the seals, but it just...comes naturally to her. She's found her niche, and I think it suits her."

"Ah, that'll cure her childhood competition with you, I'm sure," Jiraiya agreed, a smile playing on his lips, "And it seems you've finally found someone who complements you, unlike those boring floozies you dated before." He had always wondered how the younger man tolerated some of the women he took home. They surely didn't stimulate him intellectually, at least...

"Completes me is more like it," Minato affirmed.

Jiraiya suddenly sobered. "You're kidding?" he whistled. "You mean to become an honest man?" He shook his head, though he wasn't entirely surprised. It was long ago that he and Hiruzen had bet on the young pair. Their passion was evident even as clumsy teenagers. "I don't recommend that life, kid, take it from me."

"An aging playboy?" Minato raised an eyebrow as Jiraiya's features darkened. He knew his sensei wasn't entirely serious, his words perhaps offered out of slight jealousy of the younger man's happiness. Jiraiya had long ago let his childhood love slip by. "I think I'll take a family life any day."

"Ah, family life is fleeting as a shinobi," Jiraiya warned. "Especially as a future Hokage. Look at Hiruzen..."

"My life will be different," Minato argued, "Kushina isn't just any woman."

"That's true. In so many ways..." the sage trailed off in an attempt to keep his perversions to himself. "She's talented, beautiful, and has a certain something dangerous inside of her. A complete package."

Jiraiya had been integral in helping seal the kyuubi, as he was the one to design the suppression tags. He had long ago surpassed Hiruzen in the art of sealing, and he had shared that knowledge with Minato. The young boy had eagerly soaked up those teachings, but it was in Kushina's bloodline to be naturally gifted with it. Her heritage consisted of fuinjutsu that even Jiraiya had never mastered. He knew that she had been complementing Minato's training with that of her own ancestors' knowledge, and it would only make for a stronger Hokage. With her as Lady Hokage, the two could take on anything, Jiraiya was certain of it. At the moment, however, he thought it best not to tell Minato that he had been teaching the Uzumaki heiress how to control the demon's chakra.

"It will bring you happiness in these times," Jiraiya mused, "I can feel a darkness that is waiting to change the shinobi world."

"The prophecy you spoke of when I was much younger?" the blonde man nodded his understanding. "You still think I'm that shinobi?"

"I do," the older man admitted, though after slight hesitation.

Minato watched him for a few moments, finally broaching the subject he had wanted to discuss for some time, "You haven't been able to find him, have you?"

"Who?" Jiraiya suddenly looked weary. "Orochimaru...no."

"You really think you can change him, after all he's done?" Minato pressed, unconvinced his sensei's former teammate and friend could be saved.

"It's not who he is," Jiraiya's brow creased, "I knew him; I trained with him as kids. I don't know about those charges—"

"I saw the bodies," Minato interrupted, his voice a low hiss as his fist thumped the table. "I do not doubt he did those things to those men and women. It was despicable! How can the Hokage forgive him for that?" Minato was aware that, up until there was no longer any doubt in Orochimaru's machinations, Jiraiya's teammate had been Hiruzen's choice for Fourth Hokage. That digression in Hiruzen's judgment made Minato uneasy.

Jiraiya said nothing for some time, staring out the window as he sipped his sake. "I have to try. I can't give up on him so easily. We were close once..."

Minato sighed, he did not feel Orochimaru to be worth the time, as the man was a predator seeking immortality by abhorrent means. Despite his deep-rooted dislike for the Sannin, Minato knew that the shinobi's disappearance greatly bothered Jiraiya. He may not understand it, but he would support his sensei's decision, as there was much about the Toad Sage's life even Minato would never understand.

* * *

Hana tore around Tsume's home like a bat out of hell. Or what one could if it were in the form of an unsteady three-year-old girl. The tiny Inuzuka carried her three pups, all dangling with their heads locked against the girl's chest by a pudgy arm. Already, she looked like her mother, though her features were softer.

"You're going to have three dead dogs if she keeps carrying them like that," Kushina indicated with a jerk of her head.

Tsume's eyes flickered toward her daughter. "Nah, they are resilient."

"Why did you decide on three?" Kushina's eyes were on the pups, which were now whimpering and squirming to free themselves from Hana's death grip. She thought the one's eyes were bulging from its head...

"_I_didn't decide," Tsume informed her, the familiar grin tugging at her lips. "The dogs do."

"Interesting," Kushina admitted, asking nothing further. She knew that the Inuzuka Clan secrets were sacred, and she would not attempt to delve into them.

"When are you thinkin' about getting' knocked up, yourself?" her friend watched her reaction carefully.

"Me? What the hell?" Kushina waved her arms in surprise as her mouth opened and closed in shock.

"Yeah. You. You're banging Minato, so it's inevitable that a baby will come out of it," Tsume drawled, doing her best not to look smug. "That's how a baby's made, you know."

"Well, er, there are precautions one can take..." Kushina stammered, her face turning red. She never enjoyed talking about these things, even with her friends.

"Yeah, obviously I missed that lecture in the Academy..." her friend sighed.

"They didn't really prepare us in those ways," Kushina considered, smiling as one of the pups managed to wriggle free, now scampering from the toddler.

"Yup, I'm a slut through and through," Tsume chuckled. "Never was one for chastity."

"I haven't seen Itachi around," Kushina quickly changed the subject to something more benign. Hana had been in close company with the slightly-older Uchiha heir over the past few years, though they had been seen together less and less.

"Eh, that kid is the prodigal Uchiha heir, didn't you hear?" Tsume rolled her eyes. "Far too smart to hang out with a lowly Inuzuka child, or so Fugaku had so rudely implied."

"I don't know what Mikoto sees in him..." Kushina murmured, letting her thoughts fade into the unspoken abyss.

"I didn't like her at first, but the bitch grew on me. I can _see _why she married him, but he's a complete dick to her and that child. I think she should cut his throat while he's sleeping."

"Tsume!" Kushina croaked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"I'm just say—"

She was interrupted as a shinobi and his large, rust-colored canine quickly passed by, a receiver held to his mouth as he yelled into it.

"Iwa pushing forward...complete ambush on ANBU...Kusagakure...unit royally fucked..." his speech was garbled and broken with his haste.

Kushina and Tsume exchanged looks of confusion as he sped by, shoving shuriken in his holder. Tsume stood up, "Hey, dumb ass!"

"Not now, Tsume," the man waved her off, his brow shining with sweat. Kushina knew he was anxious.

"What's going on? Why the rush?"

He looked over his shoulder, "Iwa is annihilating our men in Kusa. Death toll is unknown, but it was our best ANBU squadron. Commander's missing...they are calling for backup. I-I gotta go, dammit!"

"Shit, you know it's bad when ANBU is calling for help," Tsume looked at her daughter, feeling torn as to whether she should go as well. There were specific units set up for these types of things and she missed the thrill of bloodshed. Despite her lust for fighting, she was concerned about her daughter's welfare and the war that was brewing for the country.

The hairs on the back of Kushina's neck stood up as something dangerous stirred in her abdomen. She quickly leaped to her feet. _Ken! _She stared after Tsume's cousin, her throat dry. "He's in trouble! I-I-I have to help!"

"Didn't the Hokage put you on a permanent restriction?"

She had never breached that issue with Kushina, though she assumed it had something to do with Minato becoming the Hokage in the near future. She _was _the future Hokage's love interest, and the dog-nin was sure that if he wanted Kushina out of harm's way...

But, that was only a hunch.

"I-I gotta go. Sorry!" Kushina's features were pale as she nearly stumbled from where she was standing. Before Tsume could say another word, the kunoichi was gone, moving much more quickly than Tsume could detect. She stared after her friend, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Momma, where she go?" Hana asked as another pup freed itself with a yip.

Tsume glanced at her daughter, considering the little girl's question as Kuromaru rustled at her feet as he stared at her with piercing eyes. He was always quiet and reserved around Kushina, though Tsume didn't quite understand it. The canine growled, but only once.

"Momma?" The girl demanded an answer, her voice high-pitched and impatient.

"I don't know, Hana," Tsume narrowed her eyes, staring after Kushina, "But it's not one of those times Momma's supposed to let her friend do what she wants. Come on, climb onto Kuromaru, we gotta find someone."

* * *

"Namikaze!" Tsume huffed, Hana clutched in her arms, the girl looking bewildered.

The sun was slowly approaching the western horizon, and it had taken her over half the day to find her target. Normally she would have tore all over Konoha but she didn't want to incite fear, especially not with the growing tensions of the war. Her time from duty had made her soft, and she swore that she would commence training as soon as Hana was sleeping soundly. She was also going to invest in a good babysitter. It was times like these she needed all the help she could get.

Minato glanced up from where he was talking with a shinobi she didn't recognize. He immediately stood, realizing that Tsume would not be running around Konoha with her daughter in her arms if she wanted to idly chat with him. He signaled the nameless shinobi's leave as his brow knit with concern. Kuromaru seated himself next to the woman, watching Minato calmly.

The little girl began to giggle. "Fun, Momma!"

"Not now, Hana. Adult conversation, just listen," she scolded her daughter. "Sorry, Namikaze. You'd think you'd be easier to find with this nose."

"What is it?"

"Kushina." With one word, Minato felt his heart sink, though he did not lose his composure. The dog-nin sucked in a deep breath. "My cousin was dispatched, huge slaughter of ANBU and general foot soldiers on the Fire-Grass border—"

"Yes, I know all of that, I was just finalizing orders for a larger unit to go out," Minato nodded, unsure of where this was all going or why he was sharing confidential information with Tsume.

Tsume grunted at his interruption. "Well, Kushina heard that Ken was missing, and she rushed out of there like a bitch in heat. I have no idea where she is going, but I don't have a good feeling about it."

This time, Minato's eyes grew large and his expression momentarily faltered.

"Well? Say something, dammit!" Tsume hissed.

"Say something, dammit!" Hana repeated. Normally, Tsume would have laughed at her daughter's mimicry, but she was far too concerned about Kushina's safety, which was not helped by Minato's reaction.

"I see," Minato replied carefully, his hands balling into fists. "Thank you, Tsume. I will let the Hokage know—"

"Screw the Hokage! I can _smell _your fear! What is it?" she demanded, throwing Hana onto her shoulders, the girl squealing with glee. Tsume's eyes flashed, "I _know_ her. I know that something ain't right. Now you don't have to tell me any more, but if ANBU _is_ being mauled, then I don't think she should be running straight into the enemy's lair. I'd have gone with her but I have a kid, in case you haven't noticed." Hana was now busied with pulling her mother's hair.

Minato's jaw clenched as he closed his eyes, "I understand your concern. Thank you for telling me—"

"You better get your ass after her, Namikaze," she hissed, "You know she's reckless when those closest to her are hurt. Make sure she comes back OK, no matter what the hell goes on out there." She held her gaze for a moment before turning to her canine companion, "Let's go, Kuro."

With a peal of childish laughter, the dog-nin and her brood were gone, leaving Minato standing alone.

"Her teammate's unit?" Jiraiya's voice was full of concern as he appeared behind Minato, obviously eavesdropping, considering they were close to the women's bathhouse.

"I made the orders to put him there," Minato whispered, his stomach sinking. He was making the final transition into Hokage, and Hiruzen had let him choose the placement of ANBU forces. "It's my fault."

"You had no way of knowing. It's the curse of a shinobi and Hokage. You are in charge of lives. Lives get lost," Jiraiya told him, a comforting hand resting on his former student's shoulder. "I think your main concern is for Kushina. She's far too valuable to fall into the wrong hands."

"You're right," Minato nodded, cursing under his breath.

"I'll inform Hiruzen; he'll send backup. You're the fastest, and can most likely track her down, regardless. Find her, before she does something stupid. That girl never was one for acting on a sound mind."

"Shit!" Minato said as he quickly launched himself onto the rooftop, his heart thudding in his chest as he ran. He had come up with a theory that there was an easier way to make himself available to her, and she had drawn up the seal with its changes. They had yet to perfect it, and he silently berated himself for neglecting his duty to her, though he knew she would call him overprotective. It had taken her weeks to see that his suggestion would benefit her if her life was in danger or there was a threat to the Nine Tails.

She could easily surpass even the most fleet-footed shinobi. She had over a half day on him at normal human speed, and probably much more with what the Nine Tails afforded her. Even with his Flying Thunder God Technique, it would take him some time to track her. He had set up hidden tags throughout Fire's forest, an idea that Jiraiya had suggested to him. At the time it seemed needless, but given the current circumstances, it may very well make the difference between life and death.

* * *

Kushina could smell the blood before she saw it. Dead bodies littered the trees, ANBU masks shattered on the rocky earth, and body parts scattered throughout the forest. Her nose picked up the stench of death as her eyes frantically searched for a familiar face, fearing she would find one. Bloodied Iwa and Konoha hitai'ites glittered in the midday sun, and Kushina felt her stomach sink as headless bodies became more numerous, their uniforms indicating they were Konoha-nin. She could hear explosions in the far-off distance, and she knew she was nearing the fighting. Her footsteps slowed as she carefully tiptoed through the ravages of a war she didn't comprehend. She couldn't sense any nearby foes, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be traps laid out for backup troops.

"What...the hell...are you doing...here?" came the gasped grunt.

Kushina quickly jumped aside, her eyes snapping open as she recognized the bloodied mask that still half-covered the shinobi's face. She nearly collapsed at the sight of him. A kunai was plunged into each hand and foot as he was prostrated on a tree. His head bobbled as he fought to remain conscious, the blood loss slow and cruel. His mask was cracked and pushed to the side, and she could see his features through the caked blood on his face.

"Ken!" she cried out, immediately landing before him.

"Ssssh, it's not safe...for you," he mumbled, giving her a bloodied smile. He was missing teeth as well. His features were pale, and he was almost entirely coated in dried blood. She was unsure of if it was his own.

Her hands trembled on the kunai handles as she saw the ugly wound from where the blade had penetrated his flesh. Blood caked around the wound, and his fingers were blue and cold to the touch. She could smell his rotting flesh. she wondered how long he had been left in such a condition as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Help me down...will ya?" he croaked, the lopsided grin still on his face. Kushina nodded, pulling the kunai from his hands first, supporting his body as he slumped forward. He stifled his cries, and she fought back the tears as she tugged a kunai from his each foot. She toppled over, and he landed noisily on the earth with a cry of pain. She quickly rolled him over, her hands frantically assessing for other damage.

"You're going to be OK. We're going to get you help!" she promised, her head snapping upright as the sound of explosions grew closer.

He began to laugh, his voice hoarse as his eyes closed, "Shit, Kushina...you can't be _here_...too dangerous for you and—"

In her concern for him, she had let her guard down. A hand suddenly grabbed her hair, forcefully jerking her head back and dragging her away from Ken as the ANBU shouted profanities and attempted to scramble to his injured feet upon seeing Kushina attacked. He was much too weak, given his condition.

"My, my, what do we have here? she heard the grotesque chuckling as her head was painfully tugged back so that she could look up at the Iwa symbol emblazoned at the shinobi's waist. She struggled to break free from the captor behind her, but her body was cold and numb. Her eyes slid to the side as a kunoichi pulled Ken to his knees, holding his arms behind his back. Ken's head lolled around as he fought to regain consciousness—his blood loss too great.

The laughing shinobi crouched before her, "I wondered when you would come. I have waited for you. Oh, yes, I have waited!" He reached out to touch her hair and she tried to jerk her head away without success. It felt as if her life force has been sucked from her body. She immediately concluded the ability of the shinobi behind her.

She spit at the Iwa-nin in front of her, white flecks hitting his mask, "Your dog may be able to drain my chakra, but I'll still kill you for what you did to him!"

"I had done my best to ensure that he was alive when you arrived," the man's face was masked, only his green-gray irises visible to her. She could see the cold and calculating nature in their depths.

"I don't know who you are, but I'll rip your heart out!" she promised, her eyes narrowing.

The man chuckled, slowly peeling away his mask and gloves. Kushina's heart pulsated in her temple as she saw the scarred skin and his deformed features. His lips were thin and dry, and his odd mannerism of speech made sense to her. "Does_ this_ refresh your memory, you stupid whore?"

"Go. To. Hell," she hissed at him, the memory clawing at her mind.

The man left his mask dangling around his face, his stiff features contorting angrily as he held a kunai to her neck. She felt the tip bite into the tender flesh, and warm fluid trickled down her shirt. The man's eyes trailed after the droplets as he faced away from the kunoichi holding Ken.

"Help her remember," he hissed through his gnarled lips. His skin looked as if it had melted off many times over. She noticed he was missing a few fingers on each of his stunted, deformed hands. Thin wisps of hair peeked out of his head covering. Kushina saw the flicker of movement past him, and her eyes grew large with her terror.

"No!" she weakly screamed as a blade was plunged through Ken's flank. His eyes widened at the pain and a ferocious scream left his lips. She saw the bloodied blade exit his abdomen, and, soon, she could smell the rancid contents of his bowels as they oozed out of the wound. .

"Who—who are you?" Kushina's chest heaved with fear as the Iwa kunoichi cleaned the soiled blade. Her heart was pounding in her ears as Ken stifled his cries of pain with curses of helpless anger.

"Kushina...don't..." Ken warned her through gritted teeth as his cognition returned from the shock of his injury. He stared at his entrails, realizing that his wounds were critical. "I'm past...saving.."

"Since _neither_ of you are going to survive, much to my joy, I will answer you. I have, after all, waited _years _for my revenge," he stood, kicking Kushina in the face. She felt her lip split, and she tasted the blood that filled her mouth. She gagged as Ken shouted profanities.

"Kushina! Backup will be here! Don't let him get to you, no matter the cost—" Ken tried to encourage her, despite the dire predicament they both were in. His eyes betrayed his hopeful words. She could see the regret in them as he was too helpless to fight back. His body was weak from his injuries, and his impaled abdominal viscera sealed his fate.

"Shut up, dog!" The Iwa barked at Ken, "It's your fault I'm hideous!" He turned to face Kushina, nearly cackling his excitement, "I fight under a different village, now-the symbol I bear unlike that in my youth. Some may call me a traitor, but I couldn't pass up the chance to fight the _fearsome_ Konoha."

Kushina's eyes grew round with realization. There had been three Sand-nin that had attacked Tsume and her team during the Chuunin Exams. They had left the enemy knee deep in Ken's explosive tags, which later detonated. Never in a million years would she have assumed they would so meticulously bide their time.

"It's you!" she gasped in realization.

The shinobi spun around, his eyes wild as the Iwa symbol glittered on his belt. "You remember now? The stupid little runt bitch remembers that day she interfered, does she?"

"You...thought you were dead..." she cried out as the man behind her pulled her hair more forcefully. She felt as if her neck would snap with the movement.

His thin lips twisted into a gruesome smile of glee as he realized the truth in her words, "Oh, yes, I almost did. I nearly lost my life escaping that trap! And now...now I'll kill him with the sword of the friend who died in my arms that day."" He walked past Ken and faced Kushina, a smile of triumph on his withered lips. He lowered himself so that his mouth hovered near Ken's ear. "Any last words, scum? I'm going to kill you while she watches. Then I'm going to kill her...maybe I'll even have my way with her dead body. Maybe before that—"

"Stay away from him!" Kushina shouted as Ken hissed, "Fuck you!" She tried to close her ears to his threats, the bile rising in her throat as she realized the Iwa-nin's intent.

"Fine. Have it your way," the man straightened and held out his hand for the Iwa kunoichi's blade. The woman wordlessly gave him what he desired. He nodded and she took a handful Ken's dark, dirtied hair, jerking his head to the side to reveal the vulnerable flesh of the ANBU's neck.

"Ken!" Kushina croaked, tears stinging her eyes. She was helpless to watch his beheading. Ken's eyelids were heavy, but he managed to meet her frantic gaze. She could see the resignation in his eyes.

"Don't cry, Kush," he whispered as smiled. "I'm gonna be a dad."

The tears spilled over as Kushina's heart broke at his words. He would never live to see his child born, and they both knew it. Kushina had never felt so empty as she did then—the stagnant coldness taking over her as the man behind her maintained his grip. She couldn't see his face, but she wanted to rip his limbs from his body.

_Do something_! she inwardly screamed.

_What do you want me to do? _came the chilling familiar voice she had met on more than one occasion in that dark cave of her mind. _Ask what you will of me, Kushina_.

_Help! I need your help. Lend me your chakra, _she bargained as she had before. She could hear the evil chuckle deep within her being, but she didn't care. She needed to do something—anything. The blade rose as the unmasked man's scarred face contorted into an ugly expression of triumph. His look would haunt her for the rest of her days.

_Help me now! _she begged. _Help me kill them! _

As suddenly as she made the silent plea, a warmth took over her body as it was flooded with the demon's chakra. She was familiar with the sensation from her training with Jiraiya, and she welcomed the anger that bubbled from her core. The man behind her screamed in agony as the demon's life force poisoned him. Kushina took advantage of the moment, leaping upon him. She plunged the kunai into the man's abdomen, tearing up toward his throat. She could feel the point dragging through his sternum, and she heard his ribs snap under the pressure. When she reached his neck, she sliced the kunai across the exposed tissue, and warm blood spurted from the torn vasculature. When she was satisfied with the man's demise, she spun around to see the Iwa-nin with his blade held high—his movements sluggish with her heightened speed. Kushina screamed as she lunged forward, taking the enemy's blade in her hand as it sank into the flesh of Ken's neck. The thick indigo chakra armor that cloaked her body prevented the devastating injury to her fingers as blood welled around the the blade that superficially bit into Ken's skin. With a growl, Kushina snapped the blade, flinging it aside as the Iwa-nin's eyes grew wide.

The kunoichi yelped, turning to run in fear of the transformation and destruction she had witnessed. Kushina let the woman go; she'd deal with her later. Ken slumped over when his support hastily fled, his eyes wide with shock at Kushina's feral transformation. She was all too aware of how she looked, her features melded with that of the demon's.

"W-What are you?" the Iwa-nin took a step backward, ducking under Kushina's swipe of solidified chakra. His movements were too slow for her amplified abilities and before he could counter her attack, she pushed a clawed hand through his chest. His mouth opened and his jaw trembled as blood spilled over his chin. She violently twisted her hand as she felt her fingers exit through the back of his ribcage.

"I told you I'd rip your heart out," she spat before she pulled her hand out of his chest, the warm vital organ pulsating in her grip.

With a gurgle, the enemy slumped lifelessly to the ground, never knowing how easily she had killed him. Kushina found the broken blade and launched herself after the kunoichi that had fatally stabbed Ken. When she landed behind the woman, a wave or rock rose up from where her feet and hands hit the earth, knocking the enemy to the ground. The ninja scrambled to her feet, but Kushina wasted no time as she wordlessly lopped off the enemy's head with the broken, blunted blade. The body fell to the ground, spasming as the head rolled away, the victim's eyes still wide with shock. Blood soaked Kushina's chest and face as the demon's chakra ran in her veins.

_Kill! Kill! Kill! _the inner voice screamed as Kushina fought to calm herself. She knew that as long as she remained emotionally in control, the fox couldn't take over her body. She reminded herself of Ken's injuries as she averted her eyes from the still-twitching body of the headless woman.

He was lying on the ground, his back to her as his body strained for each breath. She instantly sobered as she reached him, the poisonous chakra a mere coating on her skin as her fingernails and teeth returned to their normal smoothness. Kushina dropped to her knees, her fingers trying to staunch the freely bleeding abdominal wound. The dark fluid reeked of death as it bubbled over her fingers and soaked into the earth.

"You're gonna be OK," she promised with a wavering voice, her earlier tears returning as she stared at the gaping wound.

"I'm dying...leave me," he whispered, a look of pain on his pale face as his eyes lingered on hers. His breathing was labored and blood oozed from his nostrils and the corner of his mouth. "Fucking...Iwa did me in—"

"Don't say that, dammit! You'll live! We just need to get you back to Konoha!" she whimpered. She wasn't even sure she could carry him, as her own chakra was not entirely replenished and her body was recovering from the shock of the Nine-Tails' impingement on her being. Maybe if she called on the Nine-Tails again...

"Kushina...I know..." he whispered. "Damned...demon..."

"Shut up! Save your energy. I _know _you know. It was _you_," she tried to smile encouragingly. He had been the one to step forward, ready to show her his face or to protest her transition to jinchuuriki—she would never know his intent, nor was it important. She rocked him gently as she fought off the sobs that were deep within her. If only she had used the demon sooner...

He nodded, closing his eyes. She cried his name and his eyelids slowly fluttered. She could hear his breath becoming ragged and full of effort he didn't have. He smiled, his broken teeth smeared with blood.

"I'm having...a girl," he hoarsely whispered.

"Men don't have babies, stupid." Her tears dripped on his face but she didn't bother to wipe them off. She didn't know why she responded with mild humor, but it was the only thing that comforted her. It kept her from accepting the inevitable.

He continued, his gaze sliding in and out of focus. "...Tenten...her name...will be Tenten..."

"Even more reason for you to live!" her voice was becoming high-pitched as she trembled, "Don't you die on me, Ken! Do you hear me?"

"Loud and...clear," he whispered, looking at her. The familiar deep chocolate eyes were filled with longing and sadness as a weak smile pulled at his features—a shadow of his usual merry grin. Kushina knew the effort it took him. "That...makes two now..."

"Two?" she asked, her tears splashing his forehead, cheeks and lips as she hiccuped. She wasn't sure if his blood loss was detracting from his ability to be think clearly.

"Always..you...now Ten..." His words caught in his throat, and his eyes stared ahead. She shook him roughly and his gaze jerked toward her face as he reached his fingers toward her cheek.

"I don't get it," she cried, leaning her head into his reach.

"That...I've lo—" His fingers brushed her cheek before he clutched at his chest as his body convulsed. His breath whistled as he gasped for air, cursing one last time before all movement left his body. His head rolled to the side and his eyelids lagged. His chest rose and fell no more, and his words were left unspoken on his lips.

"No! Ken!" she cried out, shaking him forcefully, her tears blurring her vision completely. "Don't you leave me! I _need _you! You're my _best friend_!"

She was near hysterics, shaking him with denial. His head jerked with each movement of her arms, but his eyes told her he had departed. She sobbed, burying her head in his chest. It was still warm with the remnants of life, though his soul had left that world. She could never love him as he had deserved, but she still lovedhim as more than a friend. Always more than a friend.

"I sensed it over here!" she heard a man's voice in the distance. "Be on alert, it was powerful chakra."

Her head shot up, tears streaming her puffy face. She saw the ninja flood the forest surrounding her and she recognized the Iwa uniforms.

She crouched protectively over Ken's body. She could seal him in a scroll, take him back with her. She was determined to take his body back to Konoha, no matter the cost. He deserved a proper burial; he had lived and died a hero. She wouldn't let his last resting place be that wretched forest.

"This is..._it_?" someone whispered, but Kushina didn't turn.

"Take no prisoners," she heard another murmur. She counted at least a dozen Iwa-nin, all staring at her, ready to kill her in her grief.

_Kill! Kill! Kill! _the voice in her head screamed as she looked upon the enemy, the sounds of warfare nearby. The fighting had moved closer, and she knew other Leaf shinobi were somewhere in the vicinity.

This was war.

"You did this!" she hissed, her heart thudding in her chest as she waved her hand around the blood soaked forest. Her peripheral vision was dangerously oscillating with each rage-filled word. "All of you did this! And for what? For war? For land?"

The delicious anger was taking over as the fox's venomous chakra cloaked her one again. She could feel it reaching away from her body, snaking out toward her offenders. She invited it as she felt her body transform. The enemy shifted in preparation of an attack, some more obvious in their fear than others. They had no idea what they were up against, she knew. One Iwa-nin or a whole country, she didn't care. She would kill anyone that bore the symbol of the enemy. She would kill all of them.

And the demon within her would help her see to it.


	40. Passing Us By

**A/N: I firmly believe war is a sucky time, and this is how I'd envision it would be like to be a shinobi in such circumstances. Brutal. Unforgiving. Dirty. Quick. I know it's not the fluff you've all hoped for, but I don't think people get their full goodbyes-or even their fragmented ones. I try to keep it real. I hope it doesn't disappoint (too much). Sorry for the delay, moving cross-country is taxing and time-consuming :( **

**Thanks** for the support.** Thanks** for sticking with me. **Thanks** for giving me something to keep me going :) **RxR**

**Anonymous Peeps**:

_Hello Kitty: _Thanks! I did not notice that...but...interesting Bowchicabowwow... ;)

_Nutty_: 1) Awesome name :D 2) I know, I'm cruel (sorry!) 3) Here it is, hope it's worthy!

_Fanfic Drawer: _Well, sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. And a vendetta or desire for revenge will drive the cruelest of intentions, no? I thought it was a bit tidier than some random cronies. It made the intent that much more vicious, I thought :)

_Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Do what I want with it. Welcome to FF  
_

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**~OoOoO~**

* * *

Yoshino cursed under her breath, using her arm to wipe the sweat, dirt, and blood from her forehead. Her hands glowed a faint, pale bluish gray as she tried to focus on her comrade's wounds. The explosions and screams surrounding her prevented her from effectively providing her full attention.

She hated this.

She had dabbled with the notion of being a medic-nin when she was a genin, and continued to carry that hope into her first few years as a chunin. But, she soon discovered that the sight of blood and gore made her sick to her stomach—an unsuitable match as a medic-in-training. Still, with most of the jonin medics injured or dead, the duty of medic-nin had fallen to her. She avoided looking at the bloated corpses that were piled in the corner of the tent, and she silently prayed for backup to relieve her of her horrid duty. She was extremely famished and thirsty, and her chakra was quickly waning. She could be of more help on the battlefield, but Shikaku's orders were firm: she was to provide medical duties until otherwise instructed.

She hated taking orders from him, but she knew he was doing what was best for the squadron. He had silently mourned for his lost commander, but astutely took over his Second-in-Command duties as were necessary in such circumstances.

Her poor patient struggled for one last breath before the young kunoichi's body gave in to her injuries as she welcomed the inevitable death. Yoshino hissed a string of profanities before slamming her fist into the ground. Another explosion rocked the tent, and the sound of metal hitting metal drew closer. Yoshino knew that their makeshift hospital would soon be compromised by the advancing enemy forces. She shakily stood on her swollen, injured ankle, doing her best to bear her weight on the other foot. She grimaced as she accidentally glanced at the pile of bodies in the far corner. Lifeless gazes stared back at her, some more familiar than she would like. A few headless bodies were carelessly thrown on top; the enemy was becoming more vicious in its attacks.

Yoshino licked her lips. She hated this.

With a sigh, she hobbled toward the tent entrance, lifting the flap and being met with a faceful of smoke. She drew back, sucking in a breath of stale decrepit air.

_How proud of me are you now, Father_?

Her words were silent and for the ears of her long-dead father. It had been his pressing that pushed her to become a kunoichi, though she had never truly aspired to be a soldier for Leaf. She had detested her Academy years, which were only made tolerable by the friendships she had been fortunate enough to forge.

_I'm going to die here, all because of your dream for the daughter you never wanted._

Her father had wanted a son.

Unfortunately, her mother bore Yoshino, nearly dying during the childbirth. In the end, her mother's womb was left barren, and her father sorely disappointed. As she grew up, she was accustomed to her father's affairs, though his harlots never bore him children. He had never achieved the son he so desired, and so he resorted to moulding Yoshino into a suitable replacement. From an early age, it was pounded into her head that a shinobi was the most noble profession. The week after her Academy graduation, her father was killed on a mission, leaving her mother a young widow. She guessed, in the end, being a kunoichi brought her closer to her deceased father, despite her resentment toward him.

Yoshino swore as someone gripped her arm, pulling her from her reminiscing. She swore some more when she recognized Shikaku, his hair now in tangled disarray as it fell over his shoulders. She had never seen it loose from his usual ponytail.

"Whaddya doing that for?" she hissed, though slightly relieved to find him nearly unscathed, albeit exhausted.

"We have to evacuate," he glanced around, taking note of the few who had survived Yoshino's meager attempt as a medic. "We have to move these bodies."

"They won't survive," she flatly informed him.

His face was unreadable as he nodded his understanding. It was a shame to leave the injured to die, but it was out of their hands. Moving the wounded would take resources they could not spare. He hated it, but it was the way of the shinobi.

Yoshino watched Shikaku calculate their next move. He was always like that: calculating and scheming. His calm and commanding nature was something she respected in him, though he was much more submissive than she would like. Or, perhaps, she was much more overbearing than she would admit. She blamed her father's unrelenting aspirations for her shrewd nature. It was easier to push people away than to let them in.

"Where to?" she asked, glancing at his long fingers as they still encircled her forearm. As if he sensed her gaze, he released her, drawing the tent entrance aside without looking at the bloated death in the corner. She followed closely behind, securing her kunai holder at her waist.

"We will retreat south," he called over his shoulder.

"Retreat?" she echoed.

He nodded, "We are outnumbered and outmaneuvered. The enemy obviously knew our location and numbers. I suspect a spy." More specifically, he suspected the physician duo that had suspiciously disappeared from their posts. He had already secured their son's whereabouts, the child now detained in Konoha.

"Betrayed?" Yoshino choked back. His response was interrupted by another explosion. The stench of death surrounded them, and the kunoichi wasn't certain that they would survive this mission. Each passing hour made her less hopeful.

"Watch out!" Shikaku jerked her into motion as a tagged kunai landed before them. Shouts and unfamiliar voices told her she was in the thick of the enemy.

"The Hokage is sending backup, but how long that will take, I don't know," he bitterly told her as they leaped away as an explosion decimated the tent she had just occupied. She said a silent prayer for the wounded who were now walking with the dead.

_Calm yourself! Pay attention, this is your life on the line! _she instructed herself, still shaken up by the close call. Shikaku reached for his short blade as Yoshino saw the forces surrounding them.

"Shit," she muttered to herself, her resolve crumbling as the enemy surrounded the handful of Konoha-nin that resisted retreat. Shikaku's expression revealed nothing, and she decided that if she were going to die here, at least he was by her side. It gave her a little comfort.

"Nara?" He raised an eyebrow, never taking his eyes from the enemy. Yoshino ignored the pain of her throbbing ankle as she pulled a few choice scrolls from her jacket. "If we get out of here alive, wanna get a beer some time?"

"If we get out of here alive, I plan to drink myself into oblivion," he informed her, a shrewd smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm asking you out on a date, dumbass," she stared ahead, her cheeks burning as she blurted her clarification.

Shikaku said nothing for a moment, and she was unsure if he was calculating their next move or debating on turning her down.

"You mean to tell me that after all these years, it only took a war and our dim chance of survival to get you to agree to go out with me?" He lowered his head, his shoulders shaking with an ironic laugh.

"Yeah, I'm a bitch like that," she grunted, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. Suddenly, she side-stepped, lifting her lips to brush against his cheek. "Thank for your perseverance."

She thought she saw a pinkish tinge to Shikaku's ears as his eyes widened momentarily. "I suppose, then, that I should come up with a strategy to get us out of here. That's a guaranteed lay, by my calculations."

"That would be nice," she muttered, barely registering the tail end of his comment as the forces began to slowly slink toward the Leaf-nin that were still putting up some semblance of a fight.

"You," Shikaku licked his lips as he narrowed his eyes at the enemy, "may very well have yourself a deal, troublesome woman."

* * *

Blood covered her body and she felt as if she were watching from somewhere above as her arms and legs clawed the ground, carrying her toward the clearing—toward the fighting. She saw ANBU, she saw Leaf-nin, she saw Iwa soldiers. She knew that harming her own was bad, but part of her stopped caring. She fought to control the force trying to take over her, but her despair was overwhelming.

She killed. She mutilated. The more she did it, the less control she had. She could feel her body changing-morphing into something more demonic. Each time she killed, she thought of Ken. She though of his fatherless child. Her rage escalated. She had instantly killed the dozen Iwa-nin, and she hungered to murder dozens more. Some fled from her as she crouched low on the edge of the clearing where Iwa and Leaf were fighting one another.

"What the hell is that?" Yoshino yelled, her back to Shikaku as both Iwa and Leaf began to turn toward the overwhelming presence that had suddenly appeared. Yoshino mouthed the word, _Uzumaki._

Shikaku's eyes were wide as his face shone with his exertion. Yoshino swore and, with a quick flick of her wrist, mutilated her distracted enemy with a devastating slice from ear-to-ear. The fight had slowed, and the vestige of Kushina's conscience was fading as she approached her comrades.

Yoshino broke free, despite Shikaku's screams, and hobbled toward her friend, "What happened to you, K?"

Kushina's slitted pupils narrowed as she opened her mouth and released a deafening war. Yoshino was thrown backward as nearby trees were uprooted from the force of the chakra pressure. Deep violet chakra swirled violently around Kushina's human form, though her her hands were now clawed, her irises red, and her pupils slitted.

"What the hell—" Yoshino breathed as Kushina crouched to attack, not sparing anyone from her wrath.

"Get out of the way!" Shikaku yelled, leaping in front of Yoshino. "Get away from her!"

"But—" the dark-haired woman began.

"I have her contained. Now _go_, Yoshino!" Shikaku hollered, his hands linked together as a dark inkiness connected his shadow to that of the transforming Kushina.

Kushina felt a distant confusion as the voice in her head screamed for her to remove the threats. She instinctively swiped at her captor and she heard a woman's scream as blood spattered across the grass and the man fell, clutching his face. Blood beaded between his fingers as dark-haired woman continued to scream, confused by what was happening.

Around them, shinobi were fleeing, and the possessed kunoichi reached out to stop them. She howled with frustration, realizing that, despite his injury, Shikaku had not released his captivity on her.

"I don't know how much longer I can contain her," Shikaku remained kneeling, blood streaking his face as the large gashes hung open, "Get everyone out of here!"

Yoshino repressed an instinctive gag as she nodded, her dark eyes averting from the horrid wounds and darting to Kushina's possessed form. She briefly wondered if there was anything could do to stop the kunoichi—to stave off this gruesome transformation, or whatever it was. Leaving Shikaku behind would only result in his death, she was sure.

She hated this.

"What are you doing, dammit?" Shikaku yelled in frustration as Yoshino clamped her hands together in a whirl of motion.

"I need to know what's happening!" the woman hissed as her irises were encompassed by dilating pupils. It was her clan's ability—they were equipped to heighten any one sense at will. It was similar to the Inuzuka clan's traits, but more delicately refined for spying on the enemy. She could detect and accurately identify a human voice up to one kilometer away—making her a vital part of any information gathering team. She was most gifted at auditory and visual retrieval—though using one greatly detracted from the other senses. It also required trust in her comrades to protect her, though she didn't have that exact luxury at the moment. She needed to see what was happening to Kushina—she needed to understand it if she were going to be able to save Shikaku from the insanity of his suicide mission.

She concentrated her chakra as her eyesight refined itself, allowing her pinpoint acuity as if she were a hawk in the sky looking for prey on the distant grounds below. The light flooding her eyesight nearly blinded her and her hearing dulled to nothing as she focused on Kushina's morphing form. She drew back slightly as she saw the ugly chakra snaking across Kushina's skin in unfamiliar patterns. It glowed a color Yoshino had never seen. A sudden flicker of movement meters behind the red-head caught Yoshino's attention, and she could sense the approaching form, instantly recognizing the blonde mane. Her pupils constricted as relief flooded her momentarily. She nearly collapsed at the the expense the technique had on her chakra reserves, but realization of their danger revived her.

"Help's here."

As if on cue, a blur of green and yellow softly landed beside her and Shikaku. Their comrades had retreated, some completely abandoning their mission after seeing the monster before them. Those cowards would be dealt with later, she knew. Her gaze darted to Minato's face, where he wore a stern expression. He narrowed his eyes and Yoshino choked on her words as the Iwa-nin that dared to stay began to retreat with shouts of "Konoha's Yellow Flash" on their lips.

"Shikaku, can you hold on for a few more minutes?" Minato requested, never looking at the jonin.

He knew he'd have some explaining to do later, as well as bodies to retrieve, but right now, his concern was selfishly for his lover's safety. He felt his throat constrict as he watched Kushina squirm and howl with frustration. She was barely recognizable as her chakra-like tails destroyed everything behind her. He knew that suppressing the full power of the Nine-Tails' was no easy feat, and he was surprised she had held off this long—as he had found Ken's mangled form some time ago. Minato easily dodged a blow by the purple destruction that hazily enshrouded the kunoichi.

"I can try," Shikaku grunted, the strain of holding her three-tailed form taking its toll. Sweat mixed with the blood from his facial lacerations, and the dark red fluid ran into his eyes as he attempted to blink it away.

"What is going on, Minato?" Yoshino's voice cracked. Her heart thudded in her ears and she felt as if she would collapse any moment.

"That's not important at the moment," Minato answered coolly, "What we need to do is to control her. The rest will come later."

"Understood, sir." She accepted his lack of answer as any inferior officer should.

"Good," Minato nodded, his eyes ahead as he calculated his next move, "Backup is on the way."

Yoshino wordlessly ignored Shikaku's urges to leave him, her eyes focused on her friend—or what remained of her. Kushina howled as she struggled to contain whatever was taking over her. Her fingernails were long and pointed as they raked the ground. Her sharp teeth gnashed furiously as she growled at the shinobi before her. Her hair stood on end as the tails behind her lashed out at the surrounding forest, easily decimating thick trees and destroying yowled in frustration as she tried to regain her composure, but it was too late.

The fox had won.

"I'll take care of her," Minato informed them. Yoshino jumped back in surprise as he quickly disappeared. She had never seen Minato in the field, though she had heard of his amazing agility.

"Dammit! Hurry Namikaze!" Shikaku growled as bloodied beads of sweat dripped from his chin.

Minato quickly maneuvered himself beside the Kushina-demon hybrid. Before it noticed his presence, he circled his fingers around his lips, releasing a steady stream of sticky chakra. He had seen Jiraiya use this technique in conjunction with fire, but he knew to do so may possibly kill Kushina, and he couldn't risk it. The oil coated the jinchuuriki and he had to act quickly, as the tainted chakra enshrouding Kushina would not hold the oil for long. He teleported away to avoid a crushing blow from a tail as he prepared a steady stream of tags. They coated her body in a mixture of seals, some his own and others for the purpose of suppressing her chakra. There was no way he could get close enough to land one on her directly, and thus, this was his hastily devised plan. The fox's scream was feral though mixed with Kushina' familiar pitch. Minato thought he saw her form shrink slightly as the oil slowly dripped from her body, pulling a few of the chakra suppressing tags with the sticky fluid. He had hoped that there would be enough to suppress the demon, though with each one that slipped from the crude coating, the fox regained its earlier momentous control.

"Kushina! Fight it!" he yelled as he teleported to a nearby tree to avoid a lashing attack.

"I can't hold it anymore, Minato!" Shikaku yelled, his body trembling with exertion. His eyes grew wide as a large ball of chakra began to circulate and form near the transformed kunoichi's mouth.

"What the hell is that?" Yoshino's eyes grew wide.

"Shit," Shikaku yelled and Minato's eyes narrowed as the ball of chakra continued to furiously spin. "Minato?"

"Release it, I'll take her away from here, get the others to safety! You've done enough. Yoshino, take care of his injuries—see that he gets medical attention!" Minato commanded as he threw a kunai at Kushina's crouched form, quickly teleporting both himself and Kushina to somewhere far removed from the drying blood of the battlefield. She was no longer conscious or aware of her actions, and Minato knew that he had to catch her by surprise. He hoped that the short duration of contact from Jiraiya's seals had pushed back the demon's influence enough so that he could save her. Plan A had not entirely succeeded, he only hoped that his backup plan would suffice.

Minato leaped into a nearby tree, out of the way of the destructive path of the beast's ball as it whizzed past him. His eyes followed the condensed chakra, before being drawn back to Kushina as she plummeted to the ground with a howl, trees uprooting from the force of her growing rage. Minato said a silent prayer, hoping that she hit the mark he had created, the confining seal large enough to surround her in this form. It was a combination he had created with Kushina's tutelage, though he also supported the fuinjutsu with a secondary seal from above ground—in a different plane—as well. The difficulty in his task was that it was necessary to drop Kushina into the trap as well as ensuring he was not ensnared in what he had set. Her body was still covered in oil and tags as she hit the ground squarely in Minato's seal as the earth quaked from the impact. Kushina violently writhed where she lay, most likely due to the combination of chakra suppressing seals coating her body and the tenketsu-closing seal that would both cut off the Nine-Tails' access to Kushina's chakra.

The deafening roars she unleashed broke his heart and relieved him at he same time. He had included his own seals in the tags that had covered her oil-ridden body, and was prepared to return her to the confines of the seals if need be—even if it meant he, himself, must be subjected to the effects of his fuin. He knew the risks of such a technique, but if it meant saving her life at the expense of his own, he would do so in a fleeting heartbeat. If it meant protecting the village from an enraged kyuubi, he would also risk his life for that cause, too.

Minato stalked her, leaping from tree to tree as she convulsed from the draining of her chakra. He said a silent prayer, glad that he did not have to think of a way to hold her in the confines of the seal. He hadn't thought that far ahead, though he was sure that Gamabunta may have been useful for that purpose. He crouched low as Kushina's screams gave way to cries, then finally moans of pain. He felt helpless as the massive body shrank back to that of Kushina, her brow etched with the agony and tumult warring within her. She continued to writhe as the poisonous force was slowly suppressed.

"Good girl, Kushina," he encouraged her in soothing tones, "You can do it. Put it back where it belongs. "

He repeated those words, his stomach sinking with every whimper from her lips. Her skin was charred and oozing, her hair and clothes were matted with the thick oil as her breathing evened. Seals scattered around her body, the last chakra-suppressing seal adhering to her sternum. He narrowed his eyes as she curled into a fetal position. He silently landed beside her when he sensed no more of the poisonous chakra within her, swiftly approaching and slapping a tag on her head for good measure before he collapsed onto the forest floor, exhausted from running for hours.

He breathed heavily, silently cursing Jiraiya for teaching her how to accept the demon fox's chakra. If it hadn't been for the sannin, she may not have been able to easily transform. His eyes slid over her body as he pondered how much of calming her was due to him and how much was due to Kushina's own merit. Maybe Jiraiya hadn't been totally at fault. The sannin may have very well saved Kushina's life.

Either way, he would deal with his sensei later.

* * *

Kushina had never felt so numb as when she stood through Ken's funeral. She saw his lover swaying with grief, her tears falling for both her and her unborn daughter. Her stomach was swollen with the developing stages of pregnancy, and Kushina's heart ached for the woman. Minato was speaking, his duties as the future Hokage becoming more burdensome. Yoshino and Shikaku were somewhere to her right, the former still too stunned from the events in the forest to speak to Kushina. Or too scared.

Kushina didn't care; she was too numb to care.

The Hokage, after learning of what had happened had worked with both Jiraiya and Minato on damage control. Minato had slaughtered the enemy forces after subduing Kushina and ensuring her safe transit to Konoha, which alleviated revealing Kushina's identity on that end. As for her comrades, the untrustworthy ones were sworn to secrecy by vile and forbidden methods, if only to ensure Kushina's safety. They may not be able to say what she was, but she could see their accusing stares. She could feel their muted disgust.

Kushina had been devastated to know that she had been responsible for the injuries to Shikaku's face—scars that would forever remind her of the importance of remaining in control of the demon within her. Despite being the reason for his disfigurement, Shikaku did not seem to hold a grudge against her—instead considering her regression a weakness of her gender. As she had long suspected, Shikaku had indeed been present when the demon was sealed, which explained his lack of fear toward Kushina in the aftermath of the situation. Part of her was grateful for his acceptance, though she couldn't say the same for Yoshino—who avoided her out of fear. Shikaku informed Kushina that it would take time for the kunoichi to come around, but the redhead worried that her friend would forever hate her.

Whispers of the Nara heir replacing Ken were already sweeping through the forces, though Kushina would hear none of it. It was too soon. She may have avenged Ken's death, but she hadn't been able to bring him back. Every night, she relived that moment, and, each time, she awoke screaming in a fit of hysterics. Minato was at a loss for what to do in such circumstances, instead choosing to hold her while she sobbed herself into a fitful sleep. The pain was just as raw each morning, as if not one day had passed since his death. She often wondered if she'd ever recover the emptiness that now dwelt within the depths of her heart.

Perhaps the biggest blow to her grief was the scathing words from a scorned woman. Kushina had given her condolences to Ken's lover, only to receive hurt-filled words in return. The pregnant woman blamed Minato for Ken's death—as he had ordered the forces to the border. And given that Kushina was the future Hokage's amour—and not to mention Ken's former lover—it was only natural that the pregnant woman would treat the redhead contemptuously.

It hurt Kushina, but she understood what grief could do to a person. But when Ken's lover began to berate Kushina, calling her ugly names, Kushina's resolve had almost crumbed. She had nearly scoffed at the woman's scorn, blurting that she never had Ken's heart to being with—that it had belonged to Kushina all this time. But, it would accomplish nothing but to perpetuate more anger, and so Kushina made a silent promise to never share Ken's dying words with anyone. In doing so, she vowed to protect Ken's unborn daughter, even if from afar.

Minato's soft voice interrupted her thoughts as she stood there, swaying in the cool breeze as the medic's footsteps had long ago died. Her tears had dried on her cheeks and she had no more to shed. Minato wanted to reach out and draw her to him, but he must not act on those feelings. It was not custom to so blatantly show affection in public, especially not for a future leader. Instead, he offered an arm to the redhead, who nodded half-heartedly as she numbly retreated with him to her apartment.

She looked up at Minato with puffy eyes. Would the war ever end? she wondered. She had lost so many loved ones over the years, who would be next? She let her thoughts consume her as Minato silently walked her home. He slowly shut her door behind them, leading her to her bed, as he had so many times before. He was growing concerned about her glum demeanor and he wondered when the Old Kushina would return.

He felt her hands hook around his neck as her lips hungrily found his. He had nearly convinced himself that she was fine until she shuddered and a sob escaped her lips. He drew back, but her grip tightened as she attempted to prevent him from breaking the kiss. It was always like this.

"Please," she whispered against his mouth.

"Kushina, I can't. Not like this," he unclasped her hands from behind his neck.

She glared at him, her eyes glistening with silent tears. He fought to control the pounding in his head and his growing need.

"Don't be like this, Namikaze," she barked at him, her fingers clumsily unfastening his vest. She slid her hands under his shirt, and he could feel her fingernails raking his skin. He reached up, trapping her hands beneath his.

"Not. Like. This." His voice was firm and his gaze steady.

Tears spilled over as Kushina's lower lip trembled. He was having difficulty maintaining control of his desire for her, but he knew that she was only throwing herself at him to alleviate her own grief and guilt. She still hadn't forgiven herself for losing control. Or for failing to save Ken.

Minato gritted his teeth as he drew her to him, feeling the familiar warmth of her body against his. Her frail frame shook with her silent sobs as she pounded her fists against his chest and cried into his vest. Her grief died down, and he once again subdued her as her fingers hungrily ripped at his pants. She screamed and yelled. She cried and begged. Each time, he refused to succumb to her false desires. He loved her, but he would not hurt her any more than she was already hurting. Instead, he held her until she fell asleep, rocking her and promising that soon, the war would be over.

That they would see happiness again.

That no one else she held dear would die.

That he wouldn't leave her.

As he made promises he wasn't sure he could keep, his eyes never left the bulge in his jacket—where the carefully wrapped package with the orange bow had been carried for months. Kushina wasn't ready. It would have to wait.

He would wait as long as was necessary. For her, he could wait a hundred lifetimes over.

* * *

Kushina looked around the large house as she said her goodbyes to Mikoto. "Thanks for inviting me over. It's nice to be out of my apartment. Gets cramped sometimes, you know?" The two women giggled, and Kushina realized it was the first time she had truly laughed since Ken's death. It had been months, but she was slowly recovering.

"No, thank _you _for keeping me company," Mikoto smiled, the expression genuine, "It gets lonely by myself all the time. With Itachi at the Academy now..."

"Why don't you start working again?" Kushina inquired, feeling slightly jealous that the Uchiha matriarch had that sort of freedom. Her hand absently went to her abdomen, where the new seal ached. Minato had integrated his special space-time jutsu into the seal on her abdomen—so that he could teleport to her in any time of need. Three days later, the tattoo still ached. She could feel the scabs rubbing against the waist of her pants.

"Oh, no, I'm much happier being a mother," the woman glanced around. Her voice lowered as her face lit up, "Besides, we are trying for another one."

It took Kushina a moment to realize what Mikoto was sharing, her eyes widening with surprise at the revelation. With a war engulfing the nation, having a child would be the last thing she would want, but to each their own. Kushina and Mikoto exchanged farewells as the former walked back to her apartment. She thoughtfully considered how her friends had begun starting families. Maybe it was a way to bring joy into a dark time, she silently considered. A handful of others she knew had been killed, the village's death toll staggeringly high, though none impacted her as much as Ken's death had. Minato had felt guilty for assigning Ken's squadron on the border, but Kushina denied that Minato should feel any remorse, though deep down, she, too, wondered if life would have been different had Minato not made that decision . She had heard that Ken's child had been born a few weeks before—a healthy baby girl with hair and eyes like her father. Kushina smiled as she walked home, wondering if the girl would have her father's fiery personality as well.

Hyuuga Hizashi had also recently produced a young heir with his wife—a baby boy to add to the Hyuuga household. Kushina could count about a dozen other shinobi families who were expecting as well. Arashi's wife was pregnant with their second child, which would be a lovely addition to their bumbling daughter that Kushina adored. She made a mental note to visit Arashi within the next few days, as the Academy was on break for a few weeks. It had been he who had helped her the most during these dark times, as they both leaned on each other for support.

Kushina was drawn from her thoughts as she heard giggling, and she spotted Tsume and Hana, the former speaking to Minato. The blonde-haired jonin was lifting the girl up and down, and she was cackling with joy as she flung her arms out from her sides. Kushina watched the scene for some time, wondering when she would be ready to start a family like her friends. She was still smiling like a dummy when Tsume noticed her.

"Hey, Uzumaki, quit staring like a freak. You're creeping me out and shit. I'm done picking your man's brain," she gestured.

Kushina approached, feeling sheepish for spying. Hana grabbed her hand, and Kushina held the pudgy fingers until Tsume tore her daughter away. Three pups followed the women home, no longer small enough for the girl to drag around Konoha by their necks.

Kushina was watching Minato as he returned Hana's wave, a smile on her face—the first genuine one since Ken's death. His bright blue gaze flickered to her. "What's so amusing?"

"Nothing," she quickly replied as she continued to watch him.

It was right then and there that she realized that, despite their bitter rivalry during her childhood, she had always loved him. Slowly but surely, with Minato's help and patience, the fog had faded and her days had grown brighter. She could smile again, despite the continuing war. Minato had promised her that harmony would be restored. They were close to a resolution, she could feel it.

Besides, if everyone else could take joy in this time, why couldn't she?

_Fill that vessel with love_.

"You're still staring," Minato cleared his throat, an eyebrow raised.

She was still smiling like a dummy, too. "Marry me, Namikaze."

"Hmm?" he replied, not really hearing her words as he rubbed his neck.

"Marry. Me." She quickly blurted the words before she could retract them. There was no regret in her tone. Only fear. Fear that he would reject her.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and his face registered his shock. "What? No! Er, the m-man is s-supposed—" he began, his ears turning red as he waved his hands in confusion.

"Eh, I'm not _asking _you," she simply replied, shrugging her indifference as her heart pounded in her ears. "I'm _telling _you. Unless you're not interested..." Her stomach was twisting in knots, and her palms were growing sweaty as she awaited his words. Maybe she had reacted rashly...

"No, I—" he began, completely at a loss for words. She saw his hand sink into his pocket, a familiar habit these past six months. Finally, he stopped stuttering, taking a deep breath before he spoke again. "Kushina," his cheeks were red as he struggled for the words, "I want nothing more than to become your husband, I just—"

His hand rapidly withdrew from his pocket. "I thought I should wait until this war was over." He looked down, his voice soft as he opened his fingers for her to see what he held within them.

She furrowed her brow, glancing at him as her fingertips brushed the tiny orange bow and the square package, "Is this for me?"

He nodded, never tearing his eyes away from her face as his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. Kushina gingerly took the package away from him, unwrapping it with girlish glee. She had an inkling as to what lay beneath the gilded wrapping paper, but she held her breath anyway. She gasped as a tiny black box rested in her palm. With one last look at Minato, she opened the hinged article with trembling fingers. She stared at the tiny band that sparkled from within, tiny rubies littering the delicate, braided gold—more beautiful than anything she had seen. She swallowed down the tears that were threatening to surface.

"Well?" he whispered, unsure of what to make of her reaction. "If you don't like it—"

Kushina looked up, beaming as she snapped the box shut, her eyes glistening with moisture. She reached for his arm, gripping it roughly. "Let's go!"

With a swift turn of her heel, she began to drag him in a direction opposite her apartment Part of him had hoped that they could spend the afternoon in her tiny abode, as he had yet to tell her that he was being deployed that night. During the past few months, she had cried when he had told her he was being sent to he war-front, usually fearful of losing him. Lately, however, she was more composed, though his announcements were usually met with rushed, rough love-making that he dreamed about for days after. Despite his usual assignment to Kuso, this time he was to stop the Raikage's son and his advancing troops from proceeding to gather intel on the Nine Tails. It was a mission purely for Kushina's safety.

"Kushina! Where are we going?" he yelped, doing his best to hide his disappointment.

"To see the old man. He can marry us today, I bet. Since you have to leave and all," she chewed her lip as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "What? You don't think I can tell when you are aching to get back to my apartment?" she teased. "I know that expression of disappointment, Namikaze. Besides, there will be plenty of _that _when you return."

His face turned red as he realized his folly. Was he becoming that easy to read? "Today?" he blurted, his mouth falling open. "Getting married, as in right this minute?"

Kushina turned and looked at him, her hands finding her hips and curling into fists of determination. He knew he had lost the argument before it truly began. Her lips pressed together and she stared at him with her dark blue-violet gaze of affirmation. "Minato, _in case you didn't notice_, there is a war going on. We don't have time to celebrate a wedding when people are dying. That's selfish! Let's just do this quietly and painlessly. And now. Before I change my mind," she ordered, her expression stern. "Or before I decide to take back the lacy lingerie I bought for tonight."

She continued to stomp toward the Hokage Manor, her ears burning as a passerby caught part of their conversation—the latter part, conveniently enough. Minato's laughter met her ears and she glared at him, her temper flaring. She felt her face grow hot as she watched him double over, wiping tears away.

"What the hell is so funny, Namikaze?"

"N-Nothing! It's just...you're so unpredictable at times!"

"Is that a problem? You never complained before—" she began, immediately cut off as he clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Someday, when we tell our kids this story, can we just say you agreed to me when _I_ asked _you_?" his eyes were dancing and she nodded slightly as his fingers slipped away from her mouth. His skin tasted slightly salty. "Good, because, right now, my masculinity is really in question."

* * *

Hiruzen and Jiraiya looked up from the map as the doors burst open, Kushina quickly barreling into the room. Minato strode behind her, his expression calm as he took his place at the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at his former pupil as Minato winked at him.

"Kushina, can this wait—" Hiruzen began.

"No. Absolutely not!" she paced in front of the kage's desk. "Perverted Sage can hear this, too."

"Hey, now—" Jiraiya began to protest her term of endearment.

"Marry me," Kushina blurted, her cheeks turning red as both men stared at her. Hiruzen's mouth fell open.

"Well, I was wondering how long it would take you to come to your senses and ask me—" Jiraiya was the first to recover.

"Hold that thought," Kushina held out her hand to silence him, disinterested in his words. Minato shook his head, blonde hair in disarray as he watched Kushina explain herself. He wanted to relish the moment of awkwardness that would inevitably become a running joke for them in their later years.

"My dear? I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood," the graying kage's brow creased in confusion.

"Marry _us_," Kushina pointed at herself, then Minato. "Right now. This instant, to be exact."

"This is a hasty decision," Hiruzen began, his eyes flickering to the his soon-to-be successor. It was unlike Minato to react so impetuously, though he could tell the young man was in agreement with Kushina.

"Blah blah blah!" Kushina sighed in exasperation as she slumped in a chair, "We don't have much time if he's leaving tonight. We don't want anything fancy, just to have it over and done with. Do I look like I want to have a formal affair, play dress up, and say those cheesy words for everyone to hear?" Her gaze was challenging as it lingered on Hiruzen's face.

"Sensei," Jiraiya held up a hand in interruption, "This has been in the making for some time. I can assure you that it is not hasty." He glanced at Minato, silently reminding the younger man of their conversation, weeks ago.

Kushina smiled at Jiraiya in appreciation. Minato said nothing, looking completely content with whatever was decided. "It's wartime. Just marry us, please, Gramps," she pleaded.

Hiruzen looked to Minato. The blonde sighed, "She's pushy when she wants to be. I can't argue with a beautiful woman, Hokage-sama."

"Yes, she _is_ quite pushy," Hiruzen agreed in defeat. He shook his head, chuckling. "Fine. I was wondering when this day would come. I just expected it to be more, er, elaborate."

"You're looking at the wrong woman for that," Kushina pulled a face. "Nothing fancy, just say the words. Then, done." She beamed broadly, her smile radiant as her eyes met Minato's own bright blue ones.

Hiruzen looked to Jiraiya, then shrugged. "Well, you will be the future Hokage of Konoha. I can't deny your wishes if I'm to expect fair treatment in my old age. Jiraiya can serve as the witness, and I'll have my assistant draft up the paperwork to make it legal..."

Minato and Kushina beamed at one another happily, making Hiruzen more comfortable with their decision, no matter how hasty it was. They were in the middle of a war; who was he to deny two people of their happiness in a time with such little splendor? He, too, remembered having a quick wedding with his own wife—though an untimely pregnancy and a murderous father had everything to do with that...

Hiruzen looked over the young couple, his eyes nearly watering as he remembered them in their youth. Their joining wasn't as unexpected as he made it seem, though he thought it best not to mention the bet he had made with Jiraiya. Both had lost, years ago.

At least, now, he could marry the young shinobi without worrying about losing money to the sannin.


	41. Deja Vu

**Voila! I'm on a roll. Well, just making up for the fact that I took forever to get CH40 out to you all! Buuuut, that doesn't get you out from reviewing that chapter if you haven't already ^_^ You know the drill, **RxR** this chapter, too! Much appreciation (MUCH)! I don't know what it was, but you were all incredibly amazing in your reviews of the last chapter. Thank you.  
**

**I read this until I was blue in the face (sorta lies), so if you see glaring errors, my apologies (DocX is working like crap tonight). I think I can be selfish in wanting to post more quickly every once in a while!  
**

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto. Enjoy the fluff or bust.

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

The newlyweds were only able to enjoy their little secret for about two weeks—mostly due to Minato's deployment for the first week-and-a-half. Word of their hasty nuptials spread throughout Konoha like wildfire.

This, of course, inevitably ignited rumors of pregnancy. What other reason was there for the future Hokage to elope? Why would he not want a large wedding? What catastrophe would prevent the future Lady Hokage from wanting everyone to see her in her splendor?

An ill-fated pregnancy, of course.

The only problem with that theory? Kushina was not pregnant.

She and Minato would laugh at the rumors, which where delivered by Asuma daily. The most ridiculous one was that she was pregnant with Ken's child and Minato was guilt-ridden about his death. The only solution, of course, was marriage. Kushina has bristled at the blackening of Ken's name, and she hoped that those words never fell on his lover's ears.

Over time, guilt began to gnaw at Kushina. Perhaps they _should _do something, it would shut everyone up, at least. She had bounced her thoughts off of Minato, who was open to her ideas. The next day, however, Kushina was back to being defiant to the rumor mill swirling about them. She would enjoy what little time she had with her husband, no matter what stories were being whispered on the lips of the villagers and shinobi alike.

Hiruzen took it upon himself to break the silence and send out a formal announcement citing the couple's reasons for their quiet exchange: that in the wake of a war, they did not feel it prudent to expect the village to celebrate the nuptials' happiness when others were suffering the loss of loved ones. This softened the hearts of the couple's harshest critics and wide-spread support for Minato began to escalate. The villagers were proud of their humble, brave leader-to-be and his beautiful, feisty bride.

All was forgiven.

But, within another week, new pregnancy rumors began to swirl. Which were _still _untrue, of course.

After much debate and discussion, Kushina begrudgingly acquiesced to a _small _ ceremony and intimate dinner held by the Hokage at his mansion. He had promised her simple and painless. Satisfied that he would not betray her meager wants, she allowed Hiruzen's assistant to put in motion the plans for their vow renewal. In all her years of being in Konoha, Kushina had never truly spoken to the Hokage's right-hand woman. In fact, Kushina had never so much as seen her _smile_. It had only taken over a decade and a wedding to get the older woman to warm up to her. And, to be honest, Kushina quite liked the portly woman and her unyielding loyalty to the Hokage. It was no small wonder that the Hokage got everything accomplished. Kushina questioned whether Hiruzen's assistant would retire with him or if she would stay on-hand. Kushina prayed for the latter, for both Minato's sake and her own sanity.

Surrounded by close friends and family, Minato and his bride renewed their brief and unconventional vows on the bluffs overlooking Konoha. It was where they had first kissed, years ago, in a fit of urgency on Minato's behalf. It was where they had their first date, which was awkwardly interrupted by Shikaku—who nearly got more than an eyeful that night. It was a place of memories—some brighter than others, but all fond.

Kushina wore a wreath of flowers in her hair, which she had left down—something she knew Minato would appreciate. She never tired of him telling her how much he loved her red hair or how he ran his fingers through her locks as they lay entwined in each other's arms.

Along with her hair accoutrement, Kushina wore a flowing summer dress, which Mikoto had eagerly helped her find in a little boutique off the main streets of Konoha. Minato, in his usual, practical manner, wore his traditional jonin attire, though he had the good taste to don a new white robe for the occasion. Kushina thought it odd that the flames along the hem was the same deep crimson as her hair.

When the brief ceremony had ended, Minato led his bride along the main street of Konoha—for the villagers to glimpse their upcoming Hokage. This appeased their curiosity, making them feel a part of the celebration. As the couple walked through the village, their friends screamed crude remarks that, at times, caused Kushina to shake with fury. Minato, sensing her discomfort, offered her comforting words, hoping to prevent a catastrophe the village would certainly never forget. Or probably ever forgive.

Despite their current splendor, the quaint ceremony in the Hokage's office with Jiraiya as their witness was what Kushina would always remember when they talked about their wedding day—the day that Uzumaki Kushina dragged Namikaze Minato into his future place of employment and demanded they be wedded. The day they had passionate, loud, rushed consummation of their vows before Minato escaped his wedding bed and new wife for the throes of war.

It wasn't ideal to anyone else, but Kushina wouldn't have had it any other way.

She stood there, smiling dumbly at the man she had sworn would be eternal enemy in the throes of her youth. It all seemed unimportant now—when they were far removed from their past, immature indiscretions. He had been lonely in his brilliance and looking for acceptance. She had been insecure and easily off-put when he unwittingly taunted her for a chance to make friends. In that moment, their paths crossed and forever changed. Perhaps that was how they were meant to meet: in the midst of a misunderstanding. Perhaps they would not have thrived together in any other way but that which had occurred within the very minutes after Kushina had stepped foot on Leaf soil. Their turbulent and often one-sided relationship had to evolve to a boiling point before either could effectively devote themselves to one another.

Those were the thoughts that ran through Kushina's mind as her fingers slipped into the crook of Minato's strong arm. His calloused fingers easily slipped over her own, giving her a quick squeeze to calm her. His blue eyes met her own shining violet depths, and he smiled his familiar, confident grin. Suddenly, the rest of the world didn't matter as her steps became automatic, guiding them toward the Hokage's mansion.

He had always loved her, he had said. She had always hated him, she had replied.

But that had changed one day, when she realized he had always been there, watching out for her. She had always been able to rely on him, though his motivations were not always as innocent as he had pretended. He put up with her immature antics and tantrums; he dealt with her dangerous, impetuous nature. She was the foil to his calm and collected demeanor. He was loved by all wherever he went, and she held a social ineptness that many found endearing. He was the village's pride. She was the village's weapon.

Minato had never once shunned her for what she was—what she _chose _to become. It had been her pre-ordainment since her first day in Konoha, though she had no knowledge of that fact. Regardless, he never looked at her with disdain or disgust as some of the other shinobi had. He treated her only with love and respect. He was her reliable soldier. He was her rock.

And she...she was the only woman that could catch the eye of Konoha's Yellow Flash. The blonde prodigy had never forgotten the spindly-legged tomboy with the crimson hair he had come to adore.

It was a match made by the Gods themselves.

Kushina's mind ran rampant as Hiruzen droned on in front of them as they entered the Hokage Manor. He introduced the couple, and Kushina was pulled back to reality by the tears she heard in the older man's voice as the crowed cheered the newlyweds. Kushina thought she spied him silently wiping a tear away as he melted into the crowd, though she knew he would never admit to such momentary weakness. It was more than she could say for Jiraiya—who had openly wept from ceremony through dinner. He claimed it was because Kushina was forever taken from him, though she knew better.

Minato was like a son to Jiraiya, and he a father-like figure to the future Yondaime. Despite his carnal indiscretions, Jiraiya truly cared for his former student, and it was times like these that it showed. Kushina kissed the sanin on his cheek, whispering to him that she would take good care of his son. Her intent fell short, however, as this only further pushed Jiraiya into a louder fit of sobbing.

As the festivities continued, Minato never once stopped smiling though he said very little all night. He didn't need to, as the expression plastered on his face told everyone that he had never felt so complete.

The after-ceremony feast was much more inappropriate than their walk through Konoha. It was there, after Choza (with his new, foreign bride present) had a few too many drinks, that it was accidentally announced that Yoshino and Shikaku were expecting. Yoshino had shattered a glass on Choza's head while Shikaku muttered under his breath and he rubbed his temples in agony. The scene ended in excited cheers for the new couple as well as a few stitches for Choza.

Kushina couldn't deny her happiness for Shikaku and Yoshino, as she had seen the two growing closer over the years. The nuptials raised their glasses in congratulations, earning a smile of relief from Yoshino—who was finally warming up to Kushina. It didn't hurt that she had stormed over to Yoshino's apartment a week prior, demanding to know why her friend was avoiding her. After a heated argument, Kushina openly shared her dilemma of becoming the jinchuuriki with her childhood friend. It was not something, before then, that she had ever talked about, even to Minato. After a few moments of disbelief, followed by apologies, their friendship was finally on the mend. A few days later, Yoshino shared her own pregnancy secret with Kushina, their relationship finally close to where they had been before the events in Kusogakure. Kushina had been witness to the couple's hasty elopement only a few days prior.

Mikoto had already announced her pregnancy a few weeks earlier, and Kushina knew the Hyuuga Clan was expecting a child from their Head Family. Arashi had a second baby due any day, and Kushina beamed at him and his very pregnant wife as they celebrated Kushina and Minato's good fortune. The couple had decided that if they were to have a boy that they would name him Ken. She couldn't argue with the touching tribute, and she secretly wished for them to have a boy.

Kushina was beginning to wonder if there was something in the water—considering the number of pregnancies befalling the shinobi of Konoha. She looked at Minato, who was deep in conversation with Jiraiya and Inoichi—the latter now married to Kushina's opponent from the Chuunin Exams. Kushina had no doubt that Minato would make the best Hokage the village had ever seen, and she looked forward to seeing him through those days. She may have had dreams of becoming the first female Hokage, but those wishes were so far off in the distance that they lacked their former significance. She smiled, marrying one would be a close second.

She looked around at her friends in their merriment, pain filling her heart. One person was absent, and she missed him dearly. Tenten was growing quickly, nearing a year old, or so Kushina heard. Her mother refused to look at Kushina—a painful reminder of why her lover never married her, and possibly—though a stretch—the reason why he was dead. Kushina carried that burden heavily, though she never once blamed Minato for it. He would be guilt-ridden for the rest of his life as well, though he would never admit it.

"So, Kushina..." Jiraiya slung an arm over her shoulder, leaning close. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. "You going to teach my student a thing of two in the art of love?" he wriggled his eyebrows.

"Eh?" she nearly choked on her wine. Was he asking what she thought? At a time like this?

"You _know_, give him something to smile about for weeks?" he continued on for a few more minutes, at Kushina's reluctant allowance. Despite the devastation surrounding them, some things just never changed. As expected, his comments soon slipped through the threshold into sheer vulgarity. "I could give you pointers, if you'd like. There's the one that I like to call the Naughty Tickler. Coined it myself, Kushina! It's where you grab the man's ba—"

She never listened to the remainder of his explanation, knowing full well where he was going, his fingers curled as he attempted to explain the maneuver to her. Her rage boiled over, prompting her to beat him to a bloody pulp in front of their guests. Minato had to quickly break up the fight, as bets were being thrown around regarding who would win.

Later in life, Jiraiya would omit that experience as the third time he had almost died.

* * *

"Again? You're pregnant, _too_?" Kushina gaped as Tsume paced around the tiny apartment she shared with Minato. They had decided to move into hers, and she had to admit that she found living with someone else almost intolerable. She liked her space, and it was halved with someone else there. They fought like hyenas, but made up like adulterous lovers. Make-up sex had its advantages.

"Yeah," Tsume muttered, "Go figure. Not like I won't just fit in around here." She waved her hand in the air as Kuromaru found a spot comfortable enough to watch Tsume pace.

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how many people are pregnant? Uchiha is having another prodigy, I'm sure. Yoshino's got a bun in her oven, though you know that already. It was announced at your goddamned wedding, of all the fucking places. By the way, I hear her mom heavily pressured Shikaku into that!" she scoffed. "That woman's a bitch, and I kinda like it."

Kushina had no doubt that Yoshino's mother had the same persuasive tactics as her daughter, a conclusion she came to after only one meeting with the short, dark-haired woman. Kushina felt slightly sorry for Shikaku, though he didn't seem to mind being domineered. In fact, she thought he actually _liked _it.

"Even that Hyuuga bastard is having a kid! Poor thing, having that dickhead as a father! Doesn't matter, it'll be pounded into its skull that it's a part of the _Main House_," Tsume continued. "Aburame is having a kid, too, fuckin' weirdo! I can't even imagine what sex is like with him! Everyone is pregnant, Kushina. Everyone."

Kushina sat down as Tsume continued to pace. She, for one, didn't want to think about having a child in the midst of this war. She looked up, realizing that Tsume was watching her with a smug look.

"Quit looking at me like that."

"Can't help it. You're next, you know." Even Kuromaru was looking at Kushina with Tsume's conviction.

Kushina pressed her lips together, saying nothing as Tsume began to pace again, muttering profanities under her breath. Kushina and Minato had only been married a few months-they were just adjusting to moving in with one another as well as the future move to the Hokage Mansion. It just didn't look like a child was going to happen anytime soon.

She was certain about that.

* * *

The war was continuing, and Kushina was growing restless as she remained within the confines of Konoha. She practiced fuinjutsu until she was cross-eyed, even creating new ones that had impressed Minato. Hiruzen had offered her a position at the Academy, feeling it beneficial that she share her clan's gift with the up and coming shinobi. She readily agreed, though mostly out of boredom.

"Kushina, you're late again!" Minato rushed throughout the apartment, packing his belongings for a scouting mission.

"Oh shit," she grumbled, rubbing her bleary eyes as she lazily pushed herself out of bed. She looked at the clock, over an hour late! She howled a string of profanities as she leaped from the warmth of their bed. She had never been stringent with time, but her constant tardiness was becoming a running joke of her classes. It was never good for the self-esteem when eight year-olds made fun of you, and with good reason.

She hastily threw on the clothes from the day before, haphazardly brushing her hair. She looked in the mirror, frowning in distaste at her appearance. Her face was pale and she had bags under her eyes. She slept more than enough and had no idea whey she was so tired all of the time.

She quickly poked her head outside the bathroom door as she heard Minato zip his pack. "Be careful."

Minato looked up at her, giving her a sad half-smile; he hated leaving her for any amount of time. "Always."

He quickly disappeared in the manner she was oddly familiar with, his hair a bright flash of gold. _Yellow Flash_.

She had heard tales of the fear Minato evoked in the enemy. Lines scattered when he appeared, his teleportation and deadly combat skills formidable. It was rumored that he single-handedly killed one hundred troops in mere minutes, earning him the nickname of "Konoha's Yellow Flash" from the enemy. Kushina smiled at the irony that his silly childhood nickname had so evolved. She had to admit, just thinking about his bravery and hearing others talk about him made her proud. Not only that, but it made her miss him more—enough so that she kept him occupied in the confines of their bed when he returned. He had no complaints, she knew. Even Jiraiya would be proud.

"Shit, late!" she reminded herself. She skipped out the door, bypassing the breakfast Minato had carefully laid out for her. She was not extremely hungry that morning—or any morning, for that matter. Perhaps she would return to eat it for lunch, if it still smelled edible. She tore through the streets of Konoha, warning passerbys as she barreled through the pedestrians. Some greeted her warmly, others shouted profanities at her. Some future Lady Hokage she'd be, she silently scoffed.

As Tsume so eloquently put it, "Kushina you'll be late for your own husbands fuckin' appointment to Hokage. Just start campin' out at the Manor now. You'll get it right some day..."

* * *

Three days of the flu had kept Kushina confined to her bed. Minato had only suffered from it for a day, and he had lovingly doted on her for the remaining two. She was unable to keep anything down, though she chose not to seek medical help despite her husband's urgings. Had she been losing weight, she would have been more concerned. Today, she was finally feeling close to normal, and decided to take Minato and his Team a packed lunch. Her reasoning mostly consisted of the fact that she felt guilty that her husband had eaten nothing but cold ramen for the past few days. He had quickly come to appreciate Kushina's expertise in the kitchen in her long absence.

Though she had not eaten real food in days, the smell of the warm lunch made her queasy as she quickly and neatly tucked the cartons into a carrying tote. She'd have the heart to eat later, she decided as she packed none for herself. Kushina quickly made her way to the training grounds, halting on the outskirts of the field as she saw Minato in deep conversation with Kakashi. She couldn't hear what was being said, exactly, but the consternation on her husband's face and a few phrases told her Minato was being authoritative with his student.

"...be careful with that technique..."

"...at huge advantage..."

"...great personal risk..."

"Kushina-san!" Rin spotted the redhead, quickly blowing Kushina's cover, unbeknownst to the younger woman as she bowed her head in respect.

"Rin," Kushina smiled at the girl, who had quickly sprouted into a beautiful young lady. She nodded toward Obito and Kakashi as well—the latter only raising an eyebrow in acknowledgment of his sensei's wife.

"Food?" Obito's eyes grew wide as he spied the bundle being carried on Kushina's arm. He had become quite enamored with her cooking, and was not afraid to show it. He claimed his mother had no idea how to use a stove, and Kushina was certain, by how ravenously he ate, that he might have been telling the truth.

"Yes, I thought you could all use some sustenance," she grinned, winking at Minato. She had grown fond of his team over the years.

"Ah, Kushina!" Minato's face lit up at the thought of meal that did not consist of ramen, "How did you know I was hungry?"

"You're like a human clock. Nine, noon, and six is when you eat," she laughed, feeling slightly sorry for him.

"Wow, he's like a pet or something," Obito muttered as he immediately welcomed Kushina's proffered gift.

Kakashi watched his teammates eat for a few moments before he took his own portion. He met her gaze, giving her a nod of recognition and a grunt of thanks. He wasn't overly friendly with her, but he was more pleasant these past few years. She would call their relationship one of mutual respect and disregard. Minato, of course, had a much closer relationship with the young shinobi, given he was rather knowledgeable of Kakashi's family background.

"Kakashi is going to lead his first team mission," Minato informed her and his team. He clapped the pale-haired kid on the shoulder, beaming with fatherly pride, "Once he passes his jonin testing."

Kushina looked at Kakashi, shrugging her feigned indifference. She was slightly startled by Minato's admission, considering Kakashi's age. His teammates hadn't even become chunin yet! "Better not mess up. Or you'll have to deal with me."

"Joy," Kakashi muttered as he blinked at his lunch, never looking up to address his sensei or Kushina.

"It will be," Kushina warned, her eyes flashing as she leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Take good care of Rin and this jackass."

"Hey!" Obito pouted as his next bite hovered near his mouth. "Be nice, Kushina-chan! You're breaking my heart!"

"I _am_ being nice," she replied smartly, grinning at him.

The Uchiha chuckled a few times before continuing to barbarically shovel food into his mouth. Kushina glanced over the young trio; she could sense an odd strain about the group and she recalled Minato discussing the random bouts of anger between Obito and Kakashi. She had felt sorry for the pale-haired boy when Minato shared his father's demise with her. No wonder he refused to open the cocoon he had created for himself. She knew he would never grow close to anyone by keeping those walls up around his heart...

"Eat up, and quickly," Kakashi told them sternly, "We have a lot to do."

"Fancy words for someone who isn't even a jonin yet!" Obito mumbled between open-mouthed chews. Rin sent nervous glances between the two men, but continued to quietly eat.

Kakashi said nothing, seating himself and pulling his face mask down so that he could finally enjoy the cooling food. Kushina had a sudden feeling of weariness as she watched the group enjoy their meals, and she used a nearby tree to steady herself. She saw Rin's eyes grow wide, and the medic-nin was immediately by her side, as was Minato, a look of concern on his face.

"Kushina, are you OK?" he asked, his eyes studying her face. "You should have stayed in bed. Why don't you see a doctor? You haven't eaten in days!"

"Rin's a doctor, practically," Kushina smiled blearily, "She'll take care of me." Minato said nothing and Kushina sighed, "Go eat, already! These three will be off on their mission, and you have a meeting with the old man, don't you? The ceremony is in a few weeks, dammit! You can't become the new Hokage if you sit here and worry about me and the stupid flu half of Konoha has!"

Minato studied her for some time, and after a glance at Rin, he wordlessly retreated to where Obito and Kakashi were seated. His brow was still knit with concern as she made light-hearted banter with his student.

Rin's hands glowed as she traced over Kushina's head. "What are your symptoms, Kushina-san?"

Kushina smiled, playing along, "I'm constantly tired, and I've had this stomach bug for a few days now. Can't keep anything down. I thought I was getting better today, but, eh, I guess I still feel a bit off."

Rin remained silent as she lowered her hands. She glanced at Kushina,"Do you mind?"

Kushina knew the girl was still learning, so she waved, "Not at all, you gotta learn somehow, right?"

"Any other symptoms?" Rin continued, her face set in concentration as her hands glowed more brightly. Minato glanced at Kushina, who returned his look with a not-so-subtle wink.

"No, er, no," Kushina answered Rin after the medic repeated the question.

"When was your last menstruation?" Rin crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes darting away from Kushina's as her cheeks grew pink.

"Um, er...wait—what does that have to do with any—" Kushina's eyes grew wide as her voice dropped to a low, frantic whisper. She shot a sideways look at Minato, but he was too busy pulling Obito away from Kakashi, the Uchiha's face dark with fury. "No, no, no! You're thinking the wrong thing!"

"When was it?" the girl asked softly, her gaze meeting Kushina's this time. Her training may not be complete, but Kushina knew she was gifted, nonetheless. And, right now, the look of conviction set on the brunette's face chilled Kushina to her core.

"I...don't remember." She felt her mind reeling at what Rin was inferring. "I can't be—I'm not having any morning sickness, Rin!" Her voice was still a low whisper.

"Not every woman does," the teen told her, smiling but doing her best to hide it behind her hand.

Kushina felt her heart pound in her ears, "You're not serious!"

"By the looks of it," Rin nodded solemnly, I'd say you're nearly eight weeks, Kushina-san. There's some movement...but no heartbeat that I can detect.."

"Oh...shit..."Kushina glanced at Minato, who was, thankfully, distracted. "We weren't taking precautions—"

"Please, don't!" Rin squealed, her girlish demeanor surfacing through the professional pomp she had just displayed, prompting Kushina to immediately sober.

"I'm sorry, Rin. It's just...a lot," she whispered, continuously glancing at Minato.

"Go to the store, buy a test, and take it just to make sure. I could always be wrong," the teen told her, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. She, at least, was excited by the prospect of Kushina possibly carrying Minato's child.

_Shit shit shit! _Kushina inwardly screamed. _Not during a war! Not now! Not to me!_

She finally nodded, her smile weak as she felt another bout of nausea. "Deal. But...don't mention your thoughts to Minato, please!"

"Oh no, never!" Rin's eyes were wide with disbelief. "T-That's not my place."

Kushina sighed in relief, realizing she could trust the girl. She smiled, half-heartedly. "I guess I know what I need to do now." Rin nodded, and Kushina called out to the men, "I, er, just realized I, um, have an important idea—no, thing—to take care of. EnjoythemealIhavetorun!" she awkwardly waved, leaving the entire team to stare at her in confusion.

Rin, however, masked her knowing smile and shrugged as the men looked to her for answers. Her eyes darted after Kushina, who had already retreated, undoubtedly running to the nearest grocer and purchasing every pregnancy test the store owned.

* * *

"Tell me what it says!" Kushina paced as she heard Tsume fumbling around in the bathroom.

"Dammit these things are hard to read!" the dog-nin hissed. Kushina heard a crash. "Shit! Was that a cup of _piss_?"

"Just tell me what it _says_, will you?" she felt her stomach knot at the thought. _Eight weeks_. She hadn't even noticed her period had been non-existent for that long. She was too busy in her duties as Minato's wife as well as making sure he had as little stress at home as possible. When he wasn't around, she busied herself, hoping that she would never receive that visit from ANBU—the one that told her her husband had perished in this Gods'-forsaken war.

She heard the bathroom door open, and she saw Tsume standing in the doorway, leering like a wolf. "Guess what, bitch?"

"Spit it out! Now!" Kushina barked, her anxiety nearly at a breaking point.

Tsume's grin grew wider; she was obviously enjoying toying with Kushina. Finally, she let up. "You're joining me in the baby producing business, you whore!"

Kushina screeched, flinging herself at Tsume and prying the tiny plastic item from her friend's grasp. She turned away and read the results for herself; it supported Tsume's smug look of satisfaction. Kushina took it upon herself to tear through her garbage, looking at the myriad of other positive tests she had taken before her friend had arrived. Why was she hedging her bets on this one test when the others had already confirmed it?

"No," she muttered sinking to her knees, the backs of her eyes prickling. "Not now. Not yet."

"What's wrong?" Tsume asked, confused at her friend's reaction. "At least you are married and have some remnant of a stable life."

Kushina looked up at her friend, seeing Tsume's sorrow. Her lover had been one of those missing during the last strike. His body was not recovered, and she had nearly defied the Hokage's orders and went in search of him—in hopes that he was a prisoner of war and not a cold, mutilated body on the field.

"I'm sorry, I know," Kushina whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Tsume sighed, blinking her own tears back as she looked away. "Look, I know Minato is the kind of upstanding guy that'll support you and be genuinely happy-thrilled even. It'll be OK, I promise. But, don't tell anyone I said that sort of corny, sappy shit."

Kushina looked at her friend through a veil of tears, "I just...didn't want a kid in all of this war. It's not safe, and it's not the best environment for a little one."

She didn't elaborate on the part where she was a jinchuuriki and it was dangerous for her to have a child. She didn't have to; Tsume somehow sensed the demon within her, though she never outwardly said it. Instead, she gave a curt nod of understanding.

"The war will end sooner than you think," the dog-nin replied calmly. "Have some faith. And enjoy the fact that you have a child growing in you. Don't dwell on the negatives."

She gaped at Tsume, who shifted uncomfortably on her feet, "What? Didn't think I had it in me, did you Uzumaki?"

"I know you are a softie at heart," Kushina smiled fondly as she rose to her feet. She lifted her apron and glanced in the mirror. She _had _gone a little soft in the midsection, though she was too busy to notice. No wonder she had been ill and not losing weight.

"What does it feel like?" she whispered, imagining a giant protruding abdomen on her slim frame.

"Kinda like the coolest thing on earth. Being a mom isn't too bad, either. Well, not once you get past the birthin' part."

Kushina paled as she was flooded with memories of Hana's birth. Tsume must have anticipated Kushina's reaction, as she threw her head back and howled, "Don't worry, Uzumaki, I don't think it's possible to pass out during your _own_ childbirth! Though...I'm sure you'll somehow make it a possibility!"

Kushina chuckled, feeling somewhat less anxious as she took Tsume's advice to heart. She was pregnant. No matter what, the child within her was a blessing. It was the start to a family that neither she nor Minato had, though both had always coveted it. Minato would be happy with her news, she was sure of it. And, she, too, would grow used to the fact that she was indeed with child—she just needed the initial shock to reside so she could enjoy the good news.

Sometimes, she thought, it was the unplanned things that gave you the most joy in life.


	42. Goodbye, Hello

Kushina anxiously glanced around the small room with its sallow light. Her toes lightly brushed the tiled floor, instinctively curling when they grazed the cool surface. She fidgeted with her gown, her tapered fingertips tugging at the hem of the flowered garb. She hadn't realized how hard she was chewing on her lip until she taste blood. She sat on her hands to distract herself, her head snapping toward the door as it creaked open.

"Namikaze Kushina?" the man's smooth voice glanced over the chart as he shut the door behind him.

"That's me," Kushina muttered, somewhat hesitantly. It was the first time she had heard herself called by Minato's surname. She also didn't know how she felt about having _him _as her doctor, though she knew that the alternative was just as anxiety-provoking. There were only two staff members who remained in Konoha Hospital during wartime...

The man smiled, melting away her concerns of having a male physician. Fears regarding the unknown news that was written on the form took precedence. She had filled out the paperwork and urinated in a cup. It had been well over a week since she took her last pregnancy test, what if something had happened since then?

"I'm Dr. Haruno," he continued to smile. She could see the tips of his white pointed teeth.

_Odd, _she thought, narrowing her eyes as her mind reached for any information regarding the shinobi. _Haruno..._

She recalled that he had come to Konoha some time after she had, though she didn't know much about him.

_From Kiri_, she reminded herself.

His family had emigrated after the war, though no one seemed to know _why _they had come to Leaf. Was there something in his bloodline that made his family vulnerable to the chaos of the Kiri governing body? She had heard that the Hidden Village had killed off their own people if they feared their powers enough...

She fidgeted as she tried to remember, her thoughts failing her as she met his inquiring cornflower gaze. His hair was devoid of color, and he wore it very short and slightly parted on the right. He pushed his thin-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose as he glanced at her chart once again. He was a handsome man and, if she remembered correctly, his skills on the battlefield were ferocious and concise. He had showed a gift in medicine shortly after his team medic was killed in battle, and had never left the hospital following that discovery.

Kushina knew he had a civilian wife—the woman's dark mauve hair a curious trait. It was much less noticeable than Kushina's own deep crimson hair, though no less strange. Kushina found herself imagining the gorgeous children the man would obviously have with his bride.

"You are _definitely_ pregnant," the man thumbed through the chart. "I'd estimate, due to your last menstrual period, that you're about ten to twelve weeks along."

Kushina straightened, her brow furrowing at the news. She was much farther than she thought. Had it really been that long since her last cycle? How had she not noticed this?

"I'm wasn't assigned as your original physician, as you may have noticed, but, er, if you'll have me, I'd like to follow you through your pregnancy." He smiled again, misreading her body language. He must have thought she was concerned that she had him rather than the only female physician in the hospital. To be honest, Kushina _had _known who her physician would be, as she had glanced at the name scrawled across her chart after her paperwork was carelessly shoved into the folder.

And it had made her nervous. This news, however, calmed her somewhat. Now if she could stop staring at the oddly handsome man and his dimples...

"Kushina?" he murmured, looking up from her chart. "May I call you by your first name?"

"Oh, y-yes, that's fine," she smiled sheepishly as she tugged at her gown. Why was she so easily distracted today?

"Great," he nodded, "Now if you don't mind, there's the rest of your first exam that we need to accomplish so that we can discuss what you should expect for the remainder of your pregnancy. After that, you can tell your family the happy news!"

* * *

She had never been so glad to wear her normal clothes—no matter how tight they had become. Her stomach had begun to grow fuller, though Minato had been deployed for the past few weeks and had been too tired to notice. She silently cursed Tsume, who had omitted the prodding and poking comprised her first prenatal visit. Despite that, her heart soared with the thought that she had a child of Minato's growing inside her. Now, she only had to find the right time to tell him.

But, that didn't seem to be any time soon.

He had been so bogged down with his up-and-coming Hokage duties that they had barely seen one another when he _was_ home. He would trudge into their small apartment, only to fall into bed without so much as a word. She would crawl in beside him, her secret putting a smile on her face as she fell asleep in the warmth of his arms. She would wake in the mornings to a cold bed, barely recalling the tender kisses he'd place on her head before he left for the day.

She never knew when she would see him next. And with the war raging forward and Konoha being pushed back, she was beginning to grow concerned for his safety.

He was a force to be reckoned with on the front lines, she knew. The enemy knew of Namikaze Minato's fierce battle strategy, and every foe feared for his or her life when the words "Yellow Flash" was whispered on the battlefield. Still, even Minato's stealth and seemingly invincible nature did not stave off the dark thoughts that crept into Kushina's mind late at night as she lay alone in bed, singing lullabies to the child growing in her womb.

As Kushina exited the hospital, she was torn from her thoughts by the peal of childish laughter. Two pairs of dark eyes met her own, the soft honey brown ones so familiar that her heart ached and tears pricked her eyes. Kushina swallowed the lump in her throat as she tore her gaze away from the cherub-cheeked child with the messy nest of chestnut hair, instead glancing at the girl's mother.

"Excuse us," the medic quickly replied, holding the child more closely to her bosom as the tot reached pudgy fingers for Kushina's crimson hair. "No, Tenten, that's not polite," she murmured as she brushed past Kushina, the little girl's eyes glued to Kushina's face. For a brief moment, Kushina felt connected with the child. As if they knew one another. As if they had always known one another. Her heart leaped into her throat as the words rushed from her mouth before she could stop them.

"I know why you hate me." It was a soft-spoken whisper, and she never turned to return the child's haunting look-the same questioning look the girl's father had passed over Kushina many times over.

The sound of the medic's footsteps ceased as the woman hesitated. She had obviously heard Kushina. The red head did not waste a second. She knew she had to take advantage of the this opportunity. Her life was no longer her own.

"And I don't blame you. But you're wrong," the kunoichi continued as she faced away from mother and child. The seconds that lingered between them felt like hours. Kushina half-expected to feel a kunai between her shoulder blades, but she knew the medic wouldn't attack her in such a vulnerable state. She knew of Kushina's pregnancy.

"He's gone," the tear-filled voice floated to Kushina's ears, though neither woman turned to look at the other. "Nothing I do will bring him back. But when I look at Tenten...he gave me a gift. It has helped to heal the hole in my heart."

Kushina turned her head slightly, her blue eyes meeting Tenten's. The girl slobbered and giggled some childish glee neither adult could comprehend but both wished they could share. Her gaze tore Kushina in two. She had Ken's eyes.

"She looks like him."

"So much so," the woman agreed, her lips brushing the girl's forehead. The child closed her eyes and smiled as she fisted her mother's hair. Kushina could see the sadness in the woman's features as she turned ever-so-slightly. "And she has taught me to forgive. And to understand."

Kushina knew it was a small step forward, and she had never wanted this hostility to begin with. She had loved Ken like a brother, and had never asked for his love in return. What he gave was his own accord, and she could not help his feelings toward the mother of his child. She had only wished he had allowed his heart to be free before his death, though he had chosen to keep his heart locked up.

Kushina didn't know why she said what she did, but in that moment, the words easily flowed from her mouth. "He was my best friend, nothing more, nothing less, but I could tell that he loved you. You are the mother of his child."

It was a small lie, but she knew the impact was worth the guilt that tore at her insides. Ken's lover deserved the solace that would come from Kushina's words. It was a small price to pay, she knew.

The woman turned away, but after a few moments, spoke with a certainty that made Kushina want to smile. "I know, and, at times, it was tough to truly believe that. But I know he cared about me...about us." Tenten smiled, shoving the fistful of chestnut hair in her mouth as she stared at Kushina's red tresses.

"As he laid dying..." Kushina considered her next choice of words, deciding to continue on with her charade. There'd be time for guilt later, "He said he loved you and Tenten very much. Ken died with a smile on his face at the thought of you three becoming a family."

The woman turned to stare at her, the belief in Kushina's untruth shining in her eyes. The kunoichi hated herself, but she knew Ken would forgive her. It was for Tenten's sake. She knew Ken's lover had always been jealous of her, and justifiably so. Ken's dying words confirmed that, and Kushina would take his confession to the grave, if only to make Tenten's life an ounce better.

"I truly hated you..." the woman whispered, the tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

Kushina knew they would never be friends, but they could be civil for Ken's child. She smiled, though much more easily than she had anticipated. "I understand. Maybe when Tenten is old enough, I'll can tell her all the stories she wants about her father."

The medic kissed the top of Tenten's head, and the girl stared curiously at her mother. The woman brushed the hair from the child's eyes, smiling sadly, "I'd like that, and so would she. It would be nice for her to get to know her father..."

Kushina nodded. It was progress. "Maybe Tenten and my child can be friends, who knows?"

The woman's eyes darted to Kushina's stomach before flickering to the kunoichi's face. Kushina knew the medic had passed her chart off to Dr. Haruno. She could see the blatant horror on the woman's face as she recognized Kushina's awareness. Neither woman had anticipated their fated meeting outside of the hospital.

"Kushina-"

"Don't worry about it," Kushina waved airily as she grinned enthusiastically, "I like Dr. Haruno. He's eye-candy, at least!"

The medic's mouth snapped shut as her eyes grew round. The tears dried on her cheeks as she hugged Tenten close. "Thank you," she whispered.

_Forgive me, dearest Ken! _Kushina smiled and nodded before turning to walk away. Her words were barely audible, even for her. "You're welcome."

* * *

Arashi had a little girl the following week. Luckily for the child, Yuki had enough sense to not let her husband name the child after Ken, regardless. Kushina felt that a birth was reason enough to pay visit to her childhood friend and his expanding family. That and she was growing quite lonely without her husband. The tiny addition was a few weeks premature, and she looked more like her mother than Arashi. Kushina had only managed to feign interest in the small being for an hour before she shared her own good news. Both Yuki and Arashi were overjoyed, the former quickly discussing the potential for a baby shower. Kushina adamantly denied the need, insisting that she just wanted to have a moment to sit down with her husband and share the joyous news with him. He was, after all, half of the reason she was pregnant.

"He's been busy with his Hokage duties, I presume?" Arashi had asked over a cup of tea, his daughter's shrill cries muffled by Yuki's proffered breast. Kushina caught the subtle and appreciative glances that the Hyuuga sent his wife's way.

"He has. I just want to find a good time to tell him."

This time, she found herself glancing at Yuki. She wondered how breastfeeding worked, as she had intended to do so for her own growing child. In the past few weeks, she had to readjust her wardrobe completely, opting to put her favorite clothes in storage. Currently, she chose airy, light-weight dresses to hide her expanding midsection. The baby bump was small, but it didn't deter Kushina from staring at it for hours when she was not instructing at the Academy. She wondered how long it would take Minato to notice the pregnancy if she did not outright tell him.

It had taken Hiruzen a few days, though he had two children—something that gave him an advantage. Kushina couldn't recall who cried more, her or the old man. She had a sneaking suspicion that the construction on the Hokage Manor had something to do with the addition of a nursery, though she couldn't be sure.

Arashi's chuckle brought her attention back to their conversation as he shook his head. " A good time, you say? Kushina, I'm not sure that, for the future—or current—Hokage, such a time exists."

Kushina sighed, looking out the window as the large droplets of ran _pattered _on the sill. "I figured you'd say as much."

"Seems as if everyone is falling pregnant," Yuki cut in absent-mindedly.

Arashi murmured his agreement, "My cousin's son, Neji, is pushing a year old. The Head House had suffered a miscarriage, though Lady Hyuuga is rumored to be pregnant again, if I'm to believe the servants' gossip."

"Tsume's pregnant," Kushina admitted, "as is Yoshino." She shook her head, laughing at Yuki's words as she considered the sudden surge of pregnancies amongst her friends and acquaintances. Her fingers traced the rim of her tea cup as she watched the ripples dance across the liquid's surface she brought the sweet tea to her lips.

"Yuki's right, Arashi, it's _definitely_ the freakin' water."

* * *

"Wow, really? You're giving these to me?" Asuma asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

Kushina leaned against the counter, her hands crossed over her chest. She noticed her favorite dress was fitting more snugly—a testament to the growing child inside of her. It had been a month since Dr. Haruno had confirmed her pregnancy, and she was both excited and ready to share the joyous news with Minato. She only needed to find the right time; the transition to Hokage was nearing, and the need for his prowess on the battlefield was growing. She didn't want to distract him during such tedious times.

"Are...you sure, Kushina?" Asuma's voice lowered. She thought she saw tears rim his eyes. He blinked and they were gone.

She smiled at him. He was now taller than her, his voice deepened with maturation and his facial hair darkened with manhood. He was no longer the shy boy that used to follow her around when they were children. No, he was quickly nearing adulthood. She had never been more proud, and she knew Hiruzen shared that notion. Father and son had a tumultuous relationship, though Kushina understood both sides and tried to waylay Asuma's anger. No matter how much she tried, Asuma refused to hear it, instead blaming his father's "self-absorption and need for power" as their reason for not reconciling. It saddened Kushina, and she hoped that it was the hormones that were making the youngest Sarutobi act like such a...child.

"Of course. You earned them," she waved at the chakra blades. "They are your family's, after all."

"You are my family, too," he told her, his eyes quickly darting to the blades.

"Always," Kushina agreed, plucking a blade from Asuma's grasp. She spun it around on her finger, relishing the familiar tingle of her old weapons. The chakra-infused metal hummed from her touch, and she felt a pang of nostalgia.

"I hope I can use them as well as you!" Asuma murmured as he watched Kushina deftly flip the blade from one hand to the other.

"You will, it just takes time," she assured him, handing the blade back to its new owner. "I think you have that dedication in you, brother."

Asuma nodded, his smile goofy as he tried to mimic her movement. A few unskilled maneuvers and a cut to the palm later, he had decided that his skill was better left to being built on the training grounds.

"Thanks, Shina," he softly told her, tucking the blades safely away.

Hot tears filled her eyes and her throat constricted as he used his childhood name for her. She swallowed her tears, not wanting him to tease her about her hormones. It hurt her that everyone but her own husband was let in on the secret of her pregnancy. _Get home, Minato, dammit! _

"Don't mention it, kid. Just do me a favor and be careful. Always watch your back."

"Yup," he made his way to her refrigerator, opening it and glancing around, "Got anything good in here?" She had wondered how long it would take him to ask. Any time he visited, he usually inquired about the possibility of food. Kushina knew her cooking rivaled Biwako's and Asuma treasured that fact.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Bottom shelf."

Asuma's eyes grew wide as he saw the prepared containers, "For me? Really? You're the best!"

"I know that," Kushina rolled her eyes. "Now how about you tell me about your girlfriend? The Yuhi girl?"

"Kurenai?" Asuma raised an eyebrow as opened a container and sniffed the contents. "Bribing a man with food. That's a low blow, Kushina!"

"I gotta keep updated on your life," she protested, taking a seat at the table.

"Eh, not much to tell ya," he answered, shoving a noodle in his mouth with his fingers. "She's not my girlfriend. I don't have time for one."

"Or you don't want to be with one person?" Kushina pressed. She had heard about Asuma's attempts at womanizing, and she had a feeling Jiraiya had something to do with that. Minato's appointment to Hokage was looming dangerously close, and she knew the Toad Sage would be in Konoha for the occasion—perhaps she would corner him then and threaten to remove his manhood...

Asuma was about to answer her question when the door burst open and Minato strode in. He didn't look at Asuma as he strode past the duo. "Asuma, I'm going to ask that you leave now, please."

The young man glanced at Kushina, raising an eyebrow in question. The red-head shrugged, her blood running cold. "Yes sir!" Asuma shrugged "Thanks!" he softly muttered, raising the tiny packed box of food as he sprinted from her apartment. "Sorry, Minato," he called out as he shut the door behind him, unsure of if he had somehow upset the future Hokage.

Kushina felt her heart leap into her throat as she saw Minato pace for a few moments. He stopped, standing with his back to her, his fists balled at his sides. She saw his shoulders shake slightly, and her mouth suddenly grew dry. The blonde rarely showed such volatility, and she knew something was terribly wrong.

"Minato?"

He didn't answer her, instead choosing to pace a while longer, his face pale. She could see the scar on his jaw as well as the pink one that spanned the knuckles on his right hand—where he had fought her in her jinchuuriki form. Blood oozed from a new wound above his left eye, and his hair was matted to his forehead. There was an angry bruise visible through the mesh of the shirt worn under his jacket, which emitted a faint smell of smoke.

"Minato, you're scaring me! What is it? What's wrong?" She quickly stood, the chair falling to the floor behind her. In her time knowing the blonde man, she had never seen him _this _agitated. She gripped the table, suddenly realizing the brevity of the situation.

"He's..." Minato began, briefly pausing in his pacing as his back faced her. His voice suddenly cracked. "I failed them..."

She wordlessly stepped forward as his shoulders shook violently. She was quickly by his side, and he turned his head away from her, biting his lower lip. She had never seen her husband cry, and it both sickened her and scared her to death. She briefly thought of Hiruzen. Of her friends.

"Failed who? _What_ is going on?" He stayed like that for some time, unanswering and distant. Kushina reached out and touched his arm, but he drew away. She grabbed onto his shoulder, squeezing furiously as she attempted to pull him back. "Minato, speak to me, dammit!"

He broke away from her, a few more moments of silence filling the air. He stopped in the tiny kitchen, leaning over the sink. For a moment, she thought he was going to be sick.

"They were only kids! Kids, Kushina! They couldn't handle the mission! I was such a fool to send Kakashi as _leader_!" His knuckles grew white as he squeezed the surface edge, and Kushina thought she heard him hiccup. In her shock, she stood there frozen as the words rapidly fell from his mouth.

"I was with the Hokage when I felt the signal. I had given Kakashi a special kunai. But, I arrived too late. Obito was—" he abruptly cut himself off, yelling incoherently in frustration as he slammed a fist on the countertop.

Kushina jumped at his outburst, feeling numb as his words sank in. She felt tears pricking her eyes as the brevity of the situation washed over her. She had just seen the trio together a few days ago; they were alive and happy, then!

"No. You are wrong!" she whispered, her voice barely audible as she stepped toward him. She thought she was going to be sick. _Not Obito!_

He shook his head and laughed bitterly as he stared out the window. "I carried his body home. I took it to his mother." Minato turned his head slightly, and she could see the tear stains on his cheek. "It was all my fault."

"You couldn't have predicted that!" she protested, her own tears falling as she spoke the bitter words. She mourned the Uchiha as if he were her own child. She felt an emptiness inside of her that she could not explain, her body numb from Minato's revelation. It was heart-wrenching, but a reality for any shinobi.

_It's the life we chose._"They knew the risks. They are shinobi—"

"They are _kids_, Kushina!" he turned to face her, his eyes red and filled with anger. He looked so very tired. Kushina balked at his tone, but she understood his outburst. He felt guilty. He was furious about the situation, though he would never be able to change it. He cared deeply for his team, and it showed in his every action, no matter how many oaths they swore to be emotionless soldiers.

Kushina inhaled deeply, fighting off the grief threatening to flood her. She needed to be strong for both of them, no matter how much is hurt. She needed to be rational. "And how old were you when you were taking S-ranked missions, huh? Younger, if I remember correctly!" she pointed out, her voice dropping. "That is the life we choose to lead. You said so yourself."

He stared at her as he digested her words, his face weary and filled with unspeakable pain. She had never seen him this vulnerable. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands balled into fists as he shut her out. "I hate this goddamned war! I hate everything about it! We are taking innocent lives. Taking kids' lives!" His voice was filled with bitterness as he spit the words from his mouth. It was hovering dangerously close to treason, and they both knew it.

She also knew that even Namikaze Minato had his breaking point.

"You are not responsible for this, you have to realize that!" she firmly replied, her jaw set in finality as hot tears slid down her cheeks.

"_I_ sent them on that mission. _I_ let them go. _I_ thought they were ready—" Minato's voice wavered as he jabbed a forefinger toward the door. He abruptly stopped, looking away from her and biting his lower lip. When he spoke again, his voice was a soft whisper. "That is why I submitted my resignation for Hokage."

His words hung between them for a few bitter seconds. Kushina could barely mask her scathing disbelief. "You're kidding!" she gasped, her eyes widening with shock. "You're not serious, Minato!"

He shook his head, smiling sadly as he looked at her with red-rimmed eyes, "I am not worthy of that position. First Ken, now Obito—"

"Stop it! Right this instant! _Stop it!_" she roared, covering her ears as her temper flared. His words were hollow, and Kushina felt an intense anger taking over her as he continued his self-deprecation. No matter how tired and upset he was, this was not the man she married. This was not the Minato she knew. Kushina's features grew dark as she took at step toward him, her voice dangerously low.

"Namikaze Minato, you will stop talking such nonsense _right now_! That is the most ridiculous thing you have _ever _said, and I did _not_ marry a spineless, self-pitying coward! No..._I_married the future Hokage of this village, and, as such, you need to start acting like it, do you hear me!"

He turned his head away and clenched his jaw, though he did not argue with her. She saw his look of surprise hold as her fury spoke for her. "I grew up hating you and your accomplishments, then I grew to respect you, and now—" she spat, "_Now_ I love you, and this is the _best_ you can do?"

"What?" he looked at her, startled and confused.

"This is the _best you can do_? Your best damned excuse, Namikaze?" she narrowed her eyes. "I've never known you to shirk your duties. Not once." Her hair fell into her face as she hissed the words through her teeth, "I will drag you back down there myself if I have to, and make you retract your resignation to the Hokage. You will eat every damned word you gave to him."

"Kushina, I resigned—" he attempted to argue, his expression telling her he did what he thought was best, not what he truly wanted.

"Bullshit! No one else is qualified for that position, you dummy! So Obito is dead...it breaks my heart as much as it does yours, but what do you think he'd say if he saw you sitting around here, feeling sorry for yourself?"

She paced around the room, turning away from him. "'Pitiful geezer', he'd probably call you! Tell you to grow up or something!" The tears were streaming down her face, but she didn't care. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and be a man that—" she turned toward him, her arms thrust to her hips. "Be a man that our future child can respect. Be the Hokage that our unborn child will admire. Be the father that the child growing inside of me can love..."

Minato's eyes grew round as her words reached his ears. His eyes flitted to her stomach before he stared at her in wide-eyed confusion. His face registered his realization. "You—you're not—you can't mean—" he sputtered, his eyes returning to her stomach. Recognition and disappointment washed over his features. How had he not realized it before?

She smiled sheepishly through her own tears, as she softly nodded. "It's true. I peed on every pregnancy test in Konoha. I even saw the doctor a few weeks ago. It's confirmed." She gestured toward her stomach. "Your child—_our _child—is growing every day."

Tears filled Minato's eyes as he dropped to his knees, his hands covering his face in shame. "I'm so sorry!" he whispered through his fingers. "I'm so sorry I haven't been here for you, Kushina!"

"Silly man," she stepped forward and stroked his hair, "You should instead be asking me what you would do without me."

"What would I do without you?" he obeyed her, wiping away his tears as the fatigue seeped into his features.

"You _wouldn't _be Hokage," she pointed out, her own tears wetting her cheek as she stroked his hair. She wished she could wash away his troubles, but it could never be. They were destined to live a life of sorrow, sprinkled with a few moments of bliss.

He nodded softly, the grief of losing Obito overwhelming him as he stood on weak legs. Kushina held him as he buried his face in her hair and mourned. "I didn't marry a coward, Minato. Our child will not accept anyone other than the Hokage as its father."

He pulled her even closer, their bodies pressed together. She felt oddly disappointed that they didn't meld as well as they had before her pregnancy.

"I'm sure Obito would want you to celebrate having a baby a bit more," she smiled sadly into her shoulder, muffling her sob. With a grim laugh, he picked her up and swung her around. "How do you

turn even the worst news into something bearable?"

Only the news of his own heir could make the ghastly task he just undertook a shade less horrid. But only barely. Obito was like his son.

"That's just what we Uzumakis do it, Minato," Kushina smiled through her own tears as she realized the upcoming weeks would be filled with much grief before they could celebrate their future happiness. "Believe it."

* * *

"So, what did you think of my book?" Jiraiya sipped the warm beverage as he spoke to his former student.

Minato was exceptionally chipper this morning, the new Hokage's grin contagious. Jiraiya had returned for Minato's promotion, and was proud of his protege as the blonde man took his rightful position as the village's Hokage. He knew Minato mourned the loss of his Uchiha student, and he was a bit perturbed that Kakashi was now the holder of a Sharingan. But, that was the unique thing about war—the unexpected constantly happened. Shortly after Obito's sacrifice, the war had come to an promising turn of events for Konoha. With Minato's reputation and aid on the battlefield, and his new resolve to make a better, more peaceful world, the Leaf quickly pushed Iwa back and slaughtered their remaining forces. A treaty was soon drafted, and an odd peace took over the countries once again.

Minato had stood proudly at the balcony during his appointment as the Yondaime, his radiant wife smiling at his side. She was a beautiful Lady, and was undoubtedly the most treasured of any of the Hokages' wives . Tales of her beauty would remain through the generations, Jiraiya was sure of it, and Minato's legacy would be Jiraiya's biggest accomplishment.

"I loved it," Minato smiled, tapping the book cover.

Jiraiya's eyes flickered to the white Hokage's robe hanging by the door. He hadn't noticed the flames on the hem before... "Yeah, that makes you and only you," the Toad Sage grumbled. "Got horrible reviews. People don't understand writing. Fools!"

"If it is any consolation," Minato added, "Your main character...Naruto...was something else."

"Like I said, you're the only one that appreciated _The Gutsy Ninja_," the older man pouted.

"Erm, Sensei?" Minato eyed him carefully, "Would you mind if I borrowed that name?"

"Borrow it?" Jiraiya asked, his attention now piqued.

"Yes..." Minato began, his voice growing louder as he cleared his throat.

Suddenly, as if on cue, Kushina appeared in the doorway, her hair longer than it had ever been, and a broad grin on her face. Her features were glowing, despite her boring long dress. Jiraiya's eyes flickered to her chest, realizing her breasts looked larger than usual. He choked on his tea when he noticed her swollen abdomen.

"Y-You're pregnant!" he sputtered, tea exploding from his nose.

"You're one for observation," Kushina laughed as she patted her rounded abdomen, "Some Sannin you are!"

"When? How?" Jiraiya whistled, his heart overflowing with joy as Minato chuckled, his arm draped around his wife's waist.

Minato grinned, "How? Do you really need to ask?"

"Minato..." Kushina's tone was full of warning. Jiraiya shook his head in disbelief as Minato cringed. She cleared her throat, her former smile returning. "Naruto..." she touched her stomach, "Is a beautiful name for our son, don't you think, Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya's mouth fell open as he met Minato's eyes. His former student was no longer the child he so fondly remembered, now grown into Konoha's strongest Hokage yet. He was formidable and wise. He was brave and kind. He was the prophecy Jiraiya had spoke of in is book. Minato was the influence for his main character. For Naruto.

And now, he wanted to claim that legacy.

"Jiraiya?" Minato repeated his sensei's name.

"Oh, yeah! Feel free! It was a name that came to me on a whim," he waved his hands, feeling truly flustered for the first time in a long while. No, he felt _honored_.

"There's more," Kushina smiled knowingly, and Jiraiya raised his eyebrows in expectation.

Minato beamed, excited to finally share the news with his teacher, "We wanted you to be the child's godfather."

"Me? _Me_?" Jiraiya dropped his cup, spilling tea everywhere. He cried out as the hot liquid scorched his lap. "Kushina—" his eyes rose to meet hers. Surely Minato was joking.

She rubbed her swollen abdomen, tears in her eyes, "It's true, Jiraiya. There were a lot of applicants, but you're the best man for the job."

"Best man for the job?" He repeated the words carefully, feeling welcome in the warm circle that Minato and Kushina had created for him. He fought away the tears that pricked the back of his eyes. "Well, I guess I can't turn it down when you put it like_ that_!"

Kushina rested a hand on Minato's shoulder and he glanced up at her, smiling proudly. Their subtle gestures pushed Jiraiya over the edge as he observed the young couple. For over a decade, he watched these two hate one another, like one another, and love one another. What started as a silly bet had turned into a story that even he couldn't have written. He was overwhelmed by his inclusion in the story he had watched unfold for so long.

Jiraiya did what he always did when he was truly happy. Jiraiya cried like a blubbering idiot.

* * *

"Minato. It's time," Kushina grimaced as she checked the nursery one last time. Everything was perfect. It had been perfect for some time, thanks to Hiruzen. Her son was close to being as real as the children her friends had birthed over the past few months. Soon, she would have her own child to hold and coddle. _Naruto!_

"Now?" He asked, quickly leaping to his feet and toppling over the chair. He danced around like a maniac, tearing through the house like a tornado.

"Calm down, it's just our child wanting to meet us," she smiled as the contraction passed. Minato was pale as he fluttered about her, grabbing scrolls. "We have time," she firmly told him.

"Time? Kushina you're_ giving birth_!" his eyes were wide with panic as sweat matted his hair to his forehead. She was glad she hadn't told him her water broke hours ago.

"How come _I'm_ having the baby, _I'm_ in pain, and _I'm_ the one who's calm?" she patted her stomach as Minato wrapped his arm around her protectively. She could feel another contraction edging itself closer.

"Because you don't have to maintain a seal through the entire thing. I read it can take_ days_ to deliver a baby!" His features were pale as his hands trembled. She knew he was nervous, and she found it endearingly sweet.

"You can do it. I have faith," she kissed his cheek with a smile.

She knew he was worried about the strain of childbirth on the demon's container, but she had total trust in Minato's capabilities; she had taught him well. Kushina had deduced that the weakened seal had more or less to do with the gap that was created by her skin stretching with childbirth. The seal no longer touched at the edges, and she was certain that had some implication on the efficacy of the fuinjutsu.

"I'm more concerned about _you_," he grunted as he gently led her from the house, concern and anxiety in his features as lifted her off of her feet and into his arms. "What if something goes wrong?"

"It won't," she replied through her contraction, doing her best not to let him know how much pain she was truly experiencing at that moment. She draped an arm around his neck as he quickly broke into a run.

"How do you know?"

"Because, Namikaze," she sighed as they exited the manor for the hideout they had set aside for this very occasion, "With you by my side, and Naruto soon to be in this world, we will be the happiest family in the world."

He pulled her closer, a satisfied smile breaking through the nervousness that he wore blatantly in his features. Kushina leaned into him, enjoying the wind that whipped her slick skin. She closed her eyes, concentrating on waylaying the contractions. She could feel the slight movement of the baby within her as Minato carried her closer to their destination. She could sense her husband's heart pounding in his chest, and she knew it was not purely due to exertion.

_Naruto is almost here!_

"Soon, my dear husband," she whispered as the wind whipped through her hair, "No one will be able to strip us of that happiness."

* * *

_**Finis.  
**_

* * *

**I know this took some time, but I had been indecisive about the ending. No complaints about my choice to end it, got it? It wasn't an easy decision :)  
**

**I _know_ Kushina's confirmation of her pregnancy to Minato wasn't as joyous as some of you may like, but I go for realism, as I have said before. I wanted to incorporate Obito's death as well as show Minato in a more human and vulnerable light. I also wanted to show how Kushina "made" him Hokage (as Minato put it in the manga). I believe that even Minato has his breaking point. Want to discuss more, feel free to PM me, I always enjoy sharing my thoughts of the goings-on in canon.**

**I know I have been avoiding answering questions about how I was going to choose to end my story (will they die vs. will they live), but I wanted to keep it a surprise, as unfair as it is. My reason for ending this way? Well, it's complicated: **

**1.) I didn't want to do injustice to Kishi's storyline (though I didn't feel completely satisfied by the manga, I just don't want to taint canon)**

**2.) I wanted to leave it open-ended to keep that hope going. This way, you can imagine your own (happier) ending **

**3.) Maybe...just **_**maybe**_** I'll find time to write another story, where Kushina and Minato lived, and Naruto never became the jinchuuriki. ;)**

**It's been a long journey with this story (1.5 years?), and I appreciate any and all feedback that you each have given me. I've made some lovely friends from this fiction, and I always enjoy hearing from everyone. There are quite a few of you dear readers who have been kind enough to review every single chapter from the beginning, and your kindness and faith has been a very big influence. **

**With that said, I thank everyone for sticking with me. Writing this relationship, despite the additions in the manga has been fun. I was originally intending to end it once they became an official "item" but your enthusiasm and encouragement kept me writing. Each of you have been an inspiration in your own right. **_**Thank you**_**. **

**And as always, leave me with your final thoughts. **

PS: there may be some glaring errors, I'll fix them later. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post again, so I thought it more fair/prudent to post now with some errors and fix it than wait for months before I have time to re-read and post. Please be kind! :D


	43. Alternate Original Ending

**A/N: I was cleaning up my dying computer and moving files over to my new one and found the original last chapter to my story. I never posted it because I wanted to keep the storyline open. So, consider this an _alternate_ ending. I have the beginning of another story planned, which involve Naruto growing up with both parents and it's really a sequel to this story. I just wanted to share this last chapter instead of deleting it. I consider it a waste of effort to do so.**

**I do recall someone leaving a review complaining/pointing out that I followed the story-line. Well, that's FF, I don't know what to tell you. It's my story, my rules. Don't like it? Read something else. I created a life for these two and I stand by my stories. I was going to follow the story line as you can tell by this alternate ending, but I think I'll have more fun creating something else. **

**Enjoy a flashback into time :) Happy Reading. **

* * *

**~OoOoO~**

* * *

The wind whipped his face like a million tiny razors. He braved it, unflinching as he held the bundle to this chest. The warmth reminded him that he was human. That he was alive. That all that had come to pass wasn't just a crazy dream he had conjured after an night of too much sake in his old age. There wasn't much more for him to do after stepping down as Hokage. Minato had been the next person to sacrifice his life to the pulls of the village affairs. For the first time in his entire life, Hiruzen had been bored. But that had come to an abrupt end, now that he had resumed his former employment.

He was Hokage once again. Both the Third and Fifth-though the Council decided that it was more prudent to return him as Sandaime, not Godaime.

The bitter reality that his protege had chosen to sacrifice his life made tears prickle in his eyes.

_It should have been me_, he angrily reminded himself.

He knew Kushina wouldn't have so easily sacrificed her life if that of her son was to be saved by Minato. He was sure that the kyuubi extraction likely took too great a toll on her, and her fate had been already sealed. What energy she had left she had dedicated to securing her son's safety. In the end, both Minato and Kushina died protecting what they had both sworn and cherished. The village and their offspring.

There had been whispers. Some long-suspected the Leaf had harbored the kyuubi. Some had even suspected that Kushina was the bearer, and that Minato had merely married her out of duty. The first didn't upset Hiruzen, but the second wave of gossip made his blood boil. Anyone that knew Minato and Kushina quickly realized that there was no _duty _in their marriage, only love and happiness. Hiruzen had wished he could have made the effort in his marriage, perhaps Biwako would have still been alive. Though, to have seen this, it would have devastated her to no end.

Then there came the rumors about the new kyuubi. The Council had nearly agreed on killing the child. Hiruzen had seethingly told them that if they laid as much as a finger on the boy, he would commit rebellion. The boy was a hero-a savior to the village.

_But what about the masked intruder that unleashed it in the first place? He'll come back, surely enough? _they had challenged him.

_Are we sure it's a _he_? And I could no longer sense that tainted chakra when the kyuubi was sealed by the Yondaime_, he had spat back.

In the end, there had been too much devastation in the village. The elders had allowed Hiruzen to keep the infant safe and return to his former post. But, the awed whispers about Minato's child soon died off, his parentage almost erased from their memories. Soon, resentment surface, most likely poorly directed anger from the loss of the loved ones to the Nine Tails' wrath. The real blame-Hiruzen knew-should have been directed at the person who had infiltrated the village.

Madara. It had to be. Hiruzen found a briefly scrawled note by Minato on the wall in the mansion with his concerns regarding the person who tore the demon from Kushina's prison. Minato was a rational person, and Hiruzen trusted him.

There was also a second part of that note, one that told Hiruzen that, even then, Minato had been intent on his future actions.

"Please protect our son. Naruto. He will be a hero, but not on our accord. I want him to remembered as the savior of this village. Not the Hokage's son."

Hiruzen would hold that promise dear to him until the day his miserable solitary life ended.

Her heard Asuma behind him as the Hokage's eyes sought to focus between the tears. The headstones were blurred so that the letters formed one jumbled word. The tiny swaddled infant in his arms squirmed, as if he could feel Hiruzen's thoughts. The older man looked down at the child, fondness spanning his features. Blonde hair like his father's. Blue eyes like that were a mixture both parents. Impatience like his mother. The infant blinked at him, alternating between smiling and crying. The seal emblazoned on his chubby stomach and the fine whiskered on his face was a reminder of Hiruzen's failure.

Why did he keep coming back to that?

He remembered the tears he shed when Kushina announced her pregnancy. He had looked forward to seeing his foster daughter and her family happy. She deserved that much. He so badly wanted to settle down an be a codger-if simply to say he earned it.

Now those dreams were long gone, and orphaned child left in their place.

Asuma cleared his throat. Hiruzen quickly tried to blink away the tears. The younger Hiruzen's voice had become a deep baritone. "I'm leaving, Father."

Hiruzen closed his eyes. He had known this would come to pass, as his son was also mourning in his own way. "Where will you go, Asuma?"

"I don't know. Away from here. Anywhere but here," he frowned, now standing beside his father, glancing between the two fresh graves and the blonde child in Hiruzen's arms. The chakra blades were at his side now, Kushina having happily given them to him on his last birthday. He hadn't put them down since, not proficiently deadly with them-maybe more so than Kushina had ever been.

_They are yours now. They have always been yours. I was just keeping them for when you were ready, _she had told him. Asuma had never felt so proud as when Kushina gave him those familiy relics. He finally felt like an adult. Like a shinobi. Soon, he would surpass his father and earn the recognition he so badly craved.

"Would you change your mind if I begged?" Hiruzen spoke softly.

"You would only beg because you have no one else," Asuma angrily replied, somewhat jarred by his father's words.

Hiruzen knew his son blamed him for Kushina's death. She was the closest thing he had to a sibling, and she filled the void of his busy father during his childhood. She praised him when Hiruzen couldn't. She encouraged him when Hiruzen wouldn't. "I would beg because you are my son."

"That never interested you before." His reply was waspish, and full of poorly concealed hurt.

"You are wrong. I had a duty, someday you will underand that-" Hiruzen began, weariness enfolding him as the child began to wriggle in his arms.

"Your duty should have been to your family. To protect us!" Asuma's voice rose. Naruto's crying forced him to calm himself. "Now look at what has happened."

Hiruzen stared at the mounded dirt on Kushina's grave, his eyes watering at the truth behind his son's words. Still, Asuma was too young to truly comprehend the duties laid out for a Hokage, "Someday, Asuma. Someday." _  
_

_Someday you will understand._

"Whatever," the young man muttered under his breath, looking away briefly as a finger flicked at something on his cheek. "I'm leaving father."

"That is your decision?"

"That is my decision." He glanced at Naruto, his eyes softening for a moment, "He looks like her. You better take good care of that kid. He's going to need it."

Hiruzen said nothing, his throat constricting from all the words he wanted to tell his son, but couldn't. He blamed himself, more than anyone, for allowing Konoha to be in possession of the Nine-Tails. Had the beast died with Mito, Kushina and Minato would be parents to the healthy baby boy. Had the beast died, _they _would be holding their son in the Hokage Manor right now. Hiruzen turned and watched Asuma leave, his son's hands shoved deeply in his pockets. It was a habit he got from Kushina.

The dark-haired shinobi turned, one last time, to look at his father. Hiruzen could see the tears in his son's eyes, his own blurred by his watery regret. In a flash, Asuma was gone, the Hokage unsure if he'd ever see his son again.

"Someday, Asuma...someday you'll understand my sacrifice," he spoke to the wind. Naruto giggled in his arms, as if he found something quite entertaining. Hiruzen held the baby close, silently vowing to protect Naruto with his life. He may have failed Kushina and Minato once, but he would not allow that to happen again.

"Naruto, you have big shoes to fill," he whispered, smiling at the child—the living remnant of a happier time in his life. "Your mother was a spitfire, and your father the best damned Hokage this village has ever seen." He stroked the baby's downy blonde hair. He looked at the Hokage Monument, which was in repair from the damages sustained to the village. What other faces would grace that stony bluff? Naruto cooed more, bright blue eyes blinking at Hiruzen.

"I wonder...what does the future hold for you, my boy?"


End file.
